Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Informed source to Al Mayadeen: SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi demands that al-Sharaa approve the establishment of an autonomous region similar to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Israeli media: Three drones launched from Yemen toward Eilat in span of 20 minutes.
Qatari Foreign Ministry: "Israel" should have already ceased fire under Trump plan for Gaza
Qatari Foreign Ministry: Release of Israeli captives will mark end of war in Gaza in accordance with Trump plan.
Israeli media: Security incident in Gaza Strip classified as serious results in six wounded soldiers so far, two critically injured.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets vehicle in Deir Ames, Tyre governorate.
Lebanese Ministry of Health: Final toll from airstrike on car in Zebdine, Nabatieh District: Two martyrs, four injured
Egyptian media: Indirect talks between Hamas and Israelis begin in Sharm el-Sheikh.
AFP: France's new PM Sebastein Lecornu resigns just hours after unveiling cabinet.
Trump: Technical teams will meet again on Monday in Egypt to discuss and clarify the final details, and the first phase is scheduled to be completed this week

Scientists expect worse variants after Omicron

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 16 Jan 2022 11:02
3 Min Read

Omicron won’t be the last version of the coronavirus to worry the world.

  • x
  • Scientists expect worse variants after Omicron
    Scientists expect worse variants after Omicron.

Scientists are warning that the wide and fast-spreading Omicron is an indicator that it will not be Covid19's last variant.

With every new infection comes a new chance for the virus to evolve and spread quicker. 

Experts are unsure what the next variations will look like or how they will shape the pandemic, but they warn there is no assurance that omicron sequels would produce lesser sickness or that existing vaccinations will function against them.

Leonardo Martinez, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Boston University, says the faster Omicron spreads, the "more opportunities there are for mutation, potentially leading to more variants."

Data has shown Omicron spreads twice as fast as the Delta variant and four times the speed of the original Covid infection. It also has more potential to reinfect those who had Covid-19 and cause "breakthrough infections" in the vaccinated population. 

Experts still urge vaccination, as the World Health Organization recorded 15 million new cases during the week of January 3-9, a jump of 55% from the previous week.

Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, says the longer "persistent infections" may be the breeding ground for more variants, adding that there's no particular reason why a virus will evolve to mildness. "I don't think we can be confident that the virus will become less lethal over time."

Related News

Highly mutated Covid variant detected in several countries

Omicron subvariants spread and cases in the US surge

Ray explains that a virus' ability to avoid immunity helps its long-term survival.

There are several potential paths for evolution. Animals may be able to incubate and release new variants. Pet dogs and cats, deer, and farm-raised mink are just a few of the animals that might be infected with the virus, which could evolve within them and spread to humans.

Frankenvariants

Another possibility is that if both omicron and delta are circulating, people could have multiple infections, which might result in what Ray refers to as "Frankenvariants"; hybrids having traits of both kinds.

To prevent the spread of variations, experts recommend that people continue to use public health measures like masking and getting vaccinated. Vaccinations still provide protection, and booster injections significantly reduce serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Furthermore, when vaccinated people are sick, Ray says their illness is frequently milder and clears up faster, giving harmful varieties less opportunity to spawn.

During a recent news conference, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that safeguarding people from future variants — even those that may be completely resistant to today's vaccines — is dependent on eliminating global vaccine disparity.

Tedros stated that he would want to have 70% of people in every nation immunized by the middle of the year. According to Johns Hopkins University data, there are now dozens of nations where less than a quarter of the population is completely vaccinated. In addition, many people in the US reject immunization.

Meanwhile, new varieties are unavoidable, according to Louis Mansky, head of the University of Minnesota's Institute for Molecular Virology.

"The virus is still kind of in control of what's going on," he added, citing the large number of unvaccinated persons.

Read more: The Omicron Variant and the future of the pandemic

  • Covid Variant
  • COVID-19
  • Omicron
  • Omicron variant
  • covid
  • COVID-19 Vaccines

Most Read

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

  • West Asia
  • 30 Sep 2025
Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Hezbollah's representative in Iran, Sayyed Abdullah Safieddine, during an interview with Al Mayadeen which aired on October 6, 2025 (Al Mayadeen)
Politics

Tehran never interferes in Hezbollah decisions: Representative in Iran

Smoke billows over the Gaza Strip following an Israeli bombardment, as seen from southern Palestine, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Indirect talks for a ceasefire in Gaza begin in Sharm El-Sheikh

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) prepare to attend a military parad in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, August 12, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Security forces seal Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh districts

Amsterdam Captain Mohammed Ali Mohiuddin, who took part in the Global Sumud mission to Gaza, talks to Al Mayadeen on October 6, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

GSF captain says despite abuse, 'Israel weaker than spider's web'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS