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Deltacron: Is new COVID-19 variant a concern?

As of now, it has not been classified as a variant of interest or concern.

CLEVELAND — Deltacron, a hybrid virus of COVID-19, first began to emerge in January. Initially scientists thought it was a data error, but now they believe it’s a combined virus of both delta and omicron.

Dr. Claudia Hoyen, pediatric infectious disease specialist at UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, says it's not uncommon for viruses to merge.

"These two viruses came together as people were sick with both of them at the same time," she explained. "It's very common for ... especially viruses to re-combine, so this is a re-combination variant."

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As of now, both the CDC and World Health Organization are just watching Deltacron. Cases are popping up around the world, including here in the U.S., but not to the extreme like we saw with omicron alone. So, at this moment, it has not been classified as a variant of interest or concern. 

The question to be answered is if this variant is as contagious as omicron and dangerous as delta. Omicron tends to impact the upper respiratory system, often resulting in a milder case, while delta attacks cells in the lungs.

While omicron has managed to sneak past and still infect those who've been vaccinated, Hoyen says the vaccines are still doing what they were intended to do: Reducing severe illness, hospitalization and death. She also believes COVID will be here to stay, and something we'll have to deal with in years to come.

Hopefully, though, it will weaken and not have the devastating impacts as earlier versions as we approach an endemic phase.

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