The Approaching 'Corona22' Is Even More Frightening

"Next Year, 'Super Variant' Is Inevitable"... "Unvaccinated Individuals Become 'Super Spreaders'"

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[Asia Economy Senior Reporter Jinsoo Lee] There is a claim that if a new variant of COVID-19 called ‘Covid-22’ emerges, it will be far more deadly than the currently rampant Delta variant worldwide.

Associate Professor Sai Reddy, who teaches immunology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), stated in an interview with the local news portal Blick on the 22nd (local time) that a ‘super variant’ is bound to appear next year, and new vaccine development must continue over the coming years.

He argued that if a super variant emerges next year, everyone who has not been vaccinated will become a ‘super spreader.’

According to Associate Professor Reddy, if existing variants combine, we will face a much more threatening new pandemic stage. He warned, "If Covid-22 appears, we will encounter consequences far more threatening than the situation we are currently experiencing." Therefore, the world must continue to fight against variants and prepare various vaccines over the next several years.

Associate Professor Reddy pointed out that given the emergence of variants like Delta, "the term COVID-19 is no longer appropriate," and warned, "Everyone who refuses vaccination will eventually become infected." The viral load of the Delta variant is so enormous that both unvaccinated individuals and those infected with the Delta variant can become super spreaders.

He explained that all children should be vaccinated, citing abundant evidence that vaccination is not harmful to children under 12 years old. Therefore, he warned that those who do not get vaccinated will contribute to the spread of the virus.

Associate Professor Reddy predicted that ‘breakthrough infections’ will increase this fall, and some countries will reimpose strict restrictions. He emphasized, "New variants will emerge when the situation reaches a point where we can no longer rely solely on vaccines," and added, "Therefore, we must prepare various vaccines to respond to new variants over the coming years."