USA: Health experts warn of new COVID variant already making its way across the country

"It looks like this new variant may be slightly more contagious than Omicron, but it does not appear to be more dangerous than Omicron. It does not seem to cause more serious disease," Bailey said.

Bailey said it's more important than ever to be wearing masks because Omicron, and now BA.2, are so easily transmitted from person to person.

"These new variants, because they are so contagious, we get such high viral loads," Bailey said. "It's much more helpful to use an N95 type mask than just a regular surgical type mask or cloth face covering."

Read more at: Health experts warn of new COVID variant already making its way across the country | WCHS

Covid variant or ‘scariant’? Experts warn a future ‘Deltacron’ is possible

Health experts have cast doubt on reports of a possible Covid-19 mutation combining elements of both the Delta and Omicron variants. While the evidence on “Deltacron” remains scarce, French virologists warn that the emergence of such hybrid strains is a distinct possibility.

Talk of a possible new hybrid variant with a name from a Hollywood disaster B-movie spread like wildfire on social media at the weekend, leaving behind the now customary trail of conspiracy theories and black humour. While some prominent scientists rushed to warn against the risk of peddling disinformation, others have argued that rampant variants make the threat of such mutant strains all too real.

The controversy kicked off on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, currently roiled by Europe’s highest Covid-19 rate of infection, where a local team of scientists claimed last week to have discovered the new variant. Led by Leondios Kostrikis, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, the scientists said the new strain presented Omicron-like genetic signatures within the Delta genomes – hence the name “Deltacron”.

Read more at: Covid variant or ‘scariant’? Experts warn a future ‘Deltacron’ is possible

Covid-19: First data points to Omicron re-infection risk - James Gallagher

The first real world data showing the coronavirus variant Omicron may evade some of our immunity has been reported by scientists in South Africa.

Scientists have detected a surge in the number of people catching Covid multiple times.

It is a rapid analysis and not definitive, but fits with concern about the mutations the variant possesses.

EU-approved COVID-19 vaccines protect against Delta variant, says official

Europe's drug regulator said on Thursday the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the European Union offered protection against all coronavirus variants, including Delta, but called for active monitoring by vaccine manufacturers to stay alert.

Read more at: EU-approved COVID-19 vaccines protect against Delta variant, says official | Reuters

Coronavirus: Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine not troubled by variants so far, says CEO

One of the people behind the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine says he has yet to see any evidence that emerging variants of the disease have found a way to defeat it.

Dr. Ugur Sahin, who founded BioNTech with his wife Dr. Özlem Türeci, told CBC News Network's Power & Politics today that scientists have two main concerns when it comes to variants of the COVID-19 virus.

Read more at: Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine not troubled by variants so far, says CEO | CBC News

Europe sees a 3rd wave of COVID-19, propelled by variants

European leaders address concerns about the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine by getting the shot amid a third wave of the coronavirus, much of it propelled by variants.

Read more at: Europe sees a 3rd wave of COVID-19, propelled by variants | CBC.ca