Chinese researchers speculate that a more virulent version of SARS-CoV-2 may emerge if the recent one blends with other coronaviruses, China-based Global Times reported.

Recently, London-based New Scientist magazine reported that Bette Korber, a scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, found evidence of a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 which could be a combination of the United Kingdom and California variant.

Beijing-based vaccine expert, who wished anonymity, told the Global Times that the recombination of such kind can be seen as more advanced variation than the mutations found previously.

However, researchers are still unclear about the degree of threat the recombined strain of the virus may pose.

This could also make the Covid-19 vaccine less potent against the novel coronavirus. This has already happened with the South African strain. Many studies have shown that vaccines that are currently in circulation have limited efficacy against the South African strain.

“It is certainly impossible for humans to prevent the virus from mutating. Facing the changes, we have to develop multivalent vaccines or seasonal vaccines and accept inoculations to get immunity, just like what we do against the flu,” Jiang Chunlai, a professor at Jilin University’s School of Life Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.

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