Here’s some unwelcome news: A new COVID-19 variant called Deltacron has been detected, with confirmed cases in the United States, France, the Netherlands and Denmark, according to the World Health Organization. Fearful of another wave like Omicron, many of us are wondering what to expect. Does Deltacron pose a threat? What do we know so far? As with most new variants, not a lot—but here’s what you should keep in mind.
What is the Deltacron variant?
As the name implies, Deltacron is a hybrid strain with genes from both the Delta and Omicron variants. These have combined to make a new version of the virus. “Such a combination variant can occur when a person is infected with both Omicron and Delta and the two viruses replicate inside the same cells of that person. A new genetic combination can thus arise, sharing traits of both parent viruses,” says Dr. Michael Blaivas, Chief Medical Officer at Anavasi Diagnostics.
What we know about Deltacron so far
What we know so far is … well, not much, except that this variant is not infecting large numbers of people yet. “We only know that it has been discovered like all other variants, through the signature on a PCR evaluation,” Robert G. Lahita MD, PhD, Director of the Institute for Autoimmune and Rheumatic Disease at Saint Joseph Health and author of Immunity Strong, explains. “It then gets through genomic sequencing. There is no data currently about the variant’s character or its infectivity because it is so new.” The spike protein determines where the virus will go. In the case of the Omicron, the virus preferred the upper respiratory system (nose, pharynx, throat), whereas the Delta variant preferred the lower respiratory tract (The lung), Dr. Lavita adds.
How much should you worry about Deltacron if you’re vaccinated?
Doctors explain that recombinant variants are to be expected, and Deltacron will not be the last for COVID-19. Since this is still so new, more data needs to be collected to get a better understanding of where we stand with Deltacron. The major vaccines have proven very effective at keeping people from dying with both Delta and Omicron. This is their most important job, says Dr. Blavias. Unfortunately, thanks to all the variants that have popped up, the vaccines don’t always prevent people from getting infected or spreading the infection to others, which is something most in medicine had hoped for at the outset. “The most important thing is that vaccination takes at-risk people from ending up severely ill or dead in hospitals to being much less ill in most cases. There is nothing to suggest that Deltacron will be any different, but we simply do not know about that yet,” Dr. Blavias states. That’s why testing will be as important as ever. Most molecular tests should have no difficulty detecting the virus, and this is critical to stopping the spread of the virus, given that vaccination does not prevent infection or transmission, Dr. Blavias explains. Next up: The Future of COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters May Look a Lot Different (and Include Less Needles)
Sources
Dr. Michael Blaivas, Chief Medical Officer at Anavasi DiagnosticsRobert G. Lahita MD, PhD (“Dr. Bob”), Director of the Institute for Autoimmune and Rheumatic Disease at Saint Joseph Health and author of Immunity Strong
