New variants of COVID-19 are concerning scientists
For the past two years, the entire world has been living in the COVID-19 pandemic, but as case numbers drop and mask mandates are lifted, many people find themselves asking how much longer COVID-19 will continue. Scientists say that COVID-19 is entering the endemic phase, which means it is easier to be controlled and more predictable; however, the main concern now is the possibility that new and worse variants of the virus will arise and cause the world to have to go through another pandemic.
One of the most notable of these new variants is known as “Deltacron,” which is a combination of the deadliness of delta and the transmissibility of omicron, according to WebMD. As of March 10, 2022, Deltacron has been identified in several European countries, such as the United Kingdom, as well as the United States. However, Deltacron is still new, and has not proved to have a significant impact on case numbers so far.
While case numbers of COVID-19 overall are dropping in humans, experts have noted that they seem to be increasing among animals, with 29 different species of animals confirmed to be infected so far, but the number is most likely much higher due to lack of testing. Many experts are concerned that COVID-19 will infect animal populations, mutate, and then transfer back to humans in an unstoppable cycle.
