The WHO allowed the emergence of more infectious strains than "omicron"

There is a strong possibility that new variants of the CORONAVIRUS will emerge that are more contagious than omicron, World HEALTH Organization (WHO) expert Maria van Kerkhove said on the WHO Science in Five Minutes program.

She explained that the more the virus circulates, the more it has the ability to mutate, so the likelihood of new strains is high.

“They (new strains. -) will be more transmissible because they will need to overtake the variants that are currently circulating,” the expert noted.

She clarified that it was not clear what properties the new variants would have. They can be more or less severe or be able to bypass a person's immune system, including immunity acquired through vaccination, Kerkhove said.

In order to prevent the development of serious diseases, it is necessary to reduce the risk of occurrence of options that are “of concern,” the specialist said. She stressed that those infected with covid-19 are at risk of long-term consequences that have not yet been studied by doctors. Although evidence is accumulating that the omicron strain of COVID-19 is less severe than other variants, it is still dangerous and should not be considered “mild,” Kerkhove said.