If the information about the presence of the omicron strain of serious evolutionary advantages over the delta is confirmed, then the new variant of the virus may take about six months to become dominant in Russia. So the likelihood of displacing one strain by another in a conversation with “Lenta.ru” was assessed by the academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, microbiologist, scientific director of the State Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums named after Mechnikov Vitaly Zverev.
“I think it is premature to talk about the timing of his displacement of the delta, since he has not displaced it in any country, even in South Africa, as far as I know, the previous options are still widespread. If he has a selective advantage, and it looks like he does, then he will be able to displace the delta within a few months or six months, “Zverev noted.
Zverev also suggested that the first patients infected with the omicron strain could already appear in Russia, or will be on the territory of the country in the coming days.
Earlier, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said that no cases of infection with the omicron strain have yet been recorded in Russia. According to him, the department carefully checks all arriving from countries where there were outbreaks of a new variant of the virus.
On Friday, December 3, it became known that a fully vaccinated man who had not traveled outside the country had become infected with the omicron strain in the Australian capital Canberra.
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