“Kraken” is a “recombinant” subline of “Omicron” with one additional mutation. Since this is the same coronavirus that many have already been sick with and many have been vaccinated against, we have some protection against this strain,” said Natalya Pshenichnaya. “But the Kraken can actually bypass immunity. Its genome consists of two parts related to subvariants of “Omicron”. It is this combination that allows the Kraken to partially avoid the protective effect of the antibodies.
The virus is also more contagious and spreads faster, perhaps becoming dominant, Professor Pshenichnaya noted.
“Who is at risk? According to the data available today, the disease caused by the Kraken is quite mild. However, young children, people over 60 years of age and people with chronic diseases are a vulnerable category of the population, just like the case of other SARS. First of all, they must be under the close attention of health workers”, emphasized Natalia Pshenichnaya.
Precautions for all respiratory infections are the same: during the seasonal increase in the incidence of influenza and SARS, everyone should be especially attentive to their health: wash their hands, avoid places where people wear masks in public places. If you experience symptoms of a cold, you should stay home and see a doctor. Your doctor may recommend a PCR test to differentiate the virus that caused the disease; this is the correct tactic, since the treatment of influenza and COVID-19 is different.
