As the COVID pandemic has progressed, we’ve repeatedly seen the arrival of new viral variants. Variants of concern, such as delta and omicron, are versions of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) which have acquired mutations. These mutations can provide SARS-CoV-2 with a genetic advantage – so for example, delta is linked to more serious illness than the original Wuhan strain, while omicron is more infectious.
Now we are seeing recombinant variants such as omicron XE. These are not viruses which have picked up a few mutations. Instead, they are viruses containing a combination of genetic material from multiple variants, producing a new version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
