The AY.4.2 strain of the coronavirus, which is rapidly spreading in Russia, cannot be called a new strain. It is a type of Delta variant. It can even be called the well-known Delta plus strain, Farrukh Sadirov, the chief infectious disease specialist of Clinical Medical Center No. 1.

The specialist noted that this strain was first recorded in the UK.

"Although the Russian press now reports that this type is more contagious, lethal and affects the children than previous strains, the United Kingdom has shared no such statistics."

According to him, the World Health Organization considers AY.4.2 as a variant currently under study.

"They noted that this species is 10-15 percent more contagious. The process of developing new variants of the coronavirus continues. Because vaccination is not yet at the desired level among the world's population. It inevitably leads to the emergence of new strains. Given that the virus passes from organism to organism, conditions are created for new mutations. The more people get vaccinated, the less we'll see new mutations. It is vital that citizens, especially those at risk, be vaccinated."

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