Don't worry about Covid-22: Here are misconceptions about it

Is “Covid-22” a new official word from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or another scientific body? Is “Covid-22” a real virus? 

These concerns must be present in the minds of all active social media users and readers. 

An immunologist has sparked outrage on social media after anticipating the advent of "Covid-22," a fictional coronavirus variant that he claims is more dangerous than known mutations like the Delta and Delta Plus strains. 

The so-called Covid-22 variant could arrive next year if current variants of concern mutate, posing a risk to the end of the pandemic, said Sai Reddy, an associate professor of systems and synthetic immunology at ETH Zürich. 

Because we aren't in 2022 yet, unless Reddy has a time machine, the emphasis is on the phrases "could" and "could." 

The Sun quoted Prof Reddy as saying, "COVID-22 could get worse than what we are witnessing now. If such a variant appears, we have to recognize it as early as possible and the vaccine manufacturers have to adapt the vaccine quickly. The emergence of this new variant is a big risk. We have to prepare for it."

While some variants have showed early signs of immunological escape, doctors warn that natural and vaccine-induced immunity still protects people from serious illness in the vast majority of cases. 

According to Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, the reality of possible variations isn't quite as bad as the fear mongering portrays. 

However, the present vaccination portfolio has mostly provided good protection against serious illness caused by the variations that have appeared thus far.

More protection may be on the way: booster shots for current vaccines may be provided this winter, and 33.7 million doses are given every day on average around the world, protecting more individuals. 

(With inputs from agencies)