Cyprus reportedly discovers a Covid variant that combines omicron and delta

A researcher in Cyprus has discovered a strain of the coronavirus that combines the delta and omicron variant, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday.

Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, called the strain “deltacron,” because of its omicron-like genetic signatures within the delta genomes, Bloomberg said.

So far, Kostrikis and his team have found 25 cases of the virus, according to the report. It’s still too early to tell whether there are more cases of the strain or what impacts it could have.

“We will see in the future if this strain is more pathological or more contagious or if it will prevail” against the two dominant strains, delta and omicron, Kostrikis said in an interview with Sigma TV Friday. He believes omicron will also overtake deltacron, he added.

New York to mandate boosters for health care workers New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Friday announced a new mandate requiring all health care workers to get a COVID-19 booster shot. Brad Dress TheHill

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Hochul said during a news conference that the state's health care workers will be required to get the booster shot for the coronavirus within two weeks of eligibility.

In a confusing chapter of the pandemic, experts share their own approaches The omicron variant has left many vaccinated people confused about how to stay safe. Four experts describe their personal behavior and risk calculus. NBC News

The rapid spread of the omicron variant has left many vaccinated people feeling confused about which activities are safe as the U.S. heads into the third year of the Covid-19 crisis.