New Delhi: Experts have warned that a 'Super Variant' of the Coronavirus worse than Covid-19 may emerge next year and everyone without vaccination is a potential super spreader.
A Super spreader is an infected person who spreads the disease to others at more than an average. Suppose two people are not showing signs of illness, both are living their daily lives. One person spreads the virus to two people, while the other person may have the ability to make ten people sick. Super spreaders mostly 'start new chains of transmission, create community transmission, start the next phase.'
On average, Covid 19 spreads among 2 to 2.5 people.
Strong warning on 'Super Variant' of Coronavirus
Professor Sai Reddy, an immunologist in Zurich, said the current strain mix could result in a new and more dangerous epidemic. He cautioned that "Covid-19 could be worse than what we are seeing now." As a result, more than one vaccination will be needed in the next few years as the world will continue to fight the evolving threat, 'maybe up to the rest of our lives.'
He further said that the viral load of Delta is so high that without vaccination, every person infected with the variant can be a super spreader. He says that due to Delta 'it is no longer Covid-19' and feared that anyone who refuses to get the vaccine will get infected at some point. Dr. Reddy said that all children should be vaccinated because there is enough evidence that the vaccine does not pose a risk to children below the age of 12 years.
He added, "It is almost likely that a new variant will come where we can no longer rely solely on vaccination. So we have to be prepared for more than one vaccination in the next few years, which is constantly adapting to new variants."
The beta and gamma variants can partially evade antibodies, while the delta variant is "highly contagious", he said.