But since this strain is considered the most contagious variant of Omicron, scientists predict its further spread around the world. The New York Times has published an opinion piece, compiling all the known facts about the Kraken to date.
How is the Kraken distributed?
The young subvariant was first discovered in upstate New York in the fall. It currently accounts for about 28 percent of cases in the US and about 72 percent of cases in Northeastern states, according to the CDC. It is a highly mutated version of the coronavirus that is believed to be better able to evade immune defenses and enter cells, with some experts calling it the most transmissible variant to date. Scientists say this strain remains rare in much of the world, but they expect it to spread rapidly across the globe.
Is the Kraken deadlier than the other variants?
So far, there is not much data on its effects on the human body. So far, there is no evidence that the disease it causes is more severe than that of the parent strains. But it takes time for the variant to become common enough, only then can statistical studies be done on the proportion of seriously ill patients requiring hospital treatment. This is already happening in the northeastern United States.
Should I be afraid and worry?
Either way, it doesn’t hurt to be careful. A year ago, the first Omicron sub-variant rose to dominance. Since then, there have been several waves of increased incidence caused by new Omicron variants. They keep acquiring mutations that help them spread. Now there is another one that is spreading even faster. So it’s worth taking seriously.
How will this affect the course of the pandemic?
Most scientists are optimistic: they do not believe that now, with the Kraken, we are seeing something similar to what happened a year ago when Omicron first appeared, providing a record number of hospitalizations. But it is likely that there will be an increase in incidence.
How much protection against booster shots “Cracker”?
Preliminary studies have shown positive results. People who get vaccinated are less likely to get infected, and getting vaccinated is definitely helpful to prevent you from getting seriously ill and ending up in the hospital. This is especially true for older people.
What next in the evolution of the virus?
Predicting evolution is more difficult than predicting the climate. But it is clear that the coronavirus will continue to change. The good thing is that throughout the three years of the pandemic, scientists from different countries have learned to follow the evolution of this virus and quickly analyze the new emerging options. In particular, take this information into account for the production of updated vaccines.
