Next variant: key questions about what is after Omicron.

Scientists say it’s only a matter of time before the new variants emerge.

In early 2022, after the Omicron variant brought a new wave of sars-Nov-2 infection and anxiety, the number of cases in some countries began to decline. But after two years of wavering between the surge and decline of the pandemic, even people in these countries can’t help wondering when the next blow will come – and in what form.

It is not yet possible to determine when a mutation will dominate or whether it will rise to a state of “worrisome mutation” – which means there are signs that it has developed worrisome new features, such as faster transmission, leading to more serious diseases or avoiding immune responses.

The public is most familiar with the first major subtype of Omicron and delta. But researchers have been tracking a range of related variants that are competing for dominance.

The dynamic history of these viruses shows that a new variant appears every few months. “They seem to happen often

Will the next variant lead to serious disease?

Omicron is less likely to cause serious disease than previously focused variants – a feature that helps mitigate the rampant spread of the mutant strain.

Although this has led to speculation that the virus may evolve into a strain that causes milder diseases, the evolutionary path of sars-Nov-2 remains unclear. So far, the new mutant strain has not evolved from the dominant one.

When the virus is not completely determined, wearing high-quality masks in crowded places is necessary.