DMG Media’s iNews reported a new COVID-19 variant Deltacron on March 16, 2022. This is a recombinant virus that probably emerged after someone, somewhere had simultaneous Delta and Omicron strains. Routine testing detected one incident in Soissons, France that just came to attention. There may have been more cases in Denmark and Netherlands, iNews suspects. The new variant has a Delta core and an Omicron spike.
Symptoms of New COVID-19 Variant Deltacron
A UK National Health Service spokesperson described the symptoms of Deltacron as follows:
1… High temperature meaning our chest and back feel hot when we touch them.
2… New, frequent cough for an hour (or three episodes in twenty-four hours)
3… New loss of smell or taste, or things start smelling or tasting differently
Does This Mean COVID-19 Will Keep Infecting us?
There’s a possibility this will happen, again according to DMG Media’s iNews. After all, in the UK where it is based, its writer says ‘it is getting harder and harder to find someone who hasn’t had it at least once, and many will have reported suffering multiple cases.
‘There’s no reason why we can’t catch COVID multiple times,’ they continue. ‘Particularly now there have been so many different variants that have become dominant at different times.’ Moreover, the evidence is mounting Omicron ‘largely evades immunity from past COVID infection, or two vaccine doses’.
So Are Our Defenses Wide Open Again?
No, this is unlikely. That’s because the situation is different, after we separate infection and symptoms. The new COVID-19 variant Deltacron and other versions should be a lesser threat, because we already have substantial herd immunity from previous bouts and vaccines.
Moreover, the case in Soissons dates from January 2022 and it did not set off a chain reaction. There’s always a possibility of catching COVID-19 twice. However, we can largely avoid this by taking precautions, and the symptoms are likely to be milder.
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