OREANDA-NEWS. Several strains of coronavirus most often infect people with weakened immunity, the elderly, the disease can be more severe, but often simply lasts longer than with the disease with one strain. Natalia Pshenichnaya, deputy director for clinical and analytical work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, told reporters about this.

According to her, cases of double infection with different strains of the same virus have been known for a long time. Cases of almost simultaneous infection with two strains or even subtypes of influenza, influenza and SARS-CoV2 viruses, as well as different strains of SARS-CoV2, have been repeatedly described.

"Infection caused by two SARS-CoV2 viruses at the same time is more common in people with a weakened immune system, and, therefore, it is more common in the elderly. The disease caused by two strains at the same time can be more severe, but more often it is protracted, since the immune system is not able to quickly eliminate the first strain that caused the infection, and upon contact with a patient whose infection is caused by another strain, an additional second enters the body, ”Pshenichnaya explained.

She stated that being ill with multiple strains of COVID-19 could lead to further variability in the virus.

"The disease caused simultaneously by two strains of viruses in people with weakened immunity is dangerous because, as a result of prolonged persistence of different strains in the human body, their genetic recombination (exchange of genetic material between strains) can occur, which can contribute to further variability of the virus and the emergence of new ones. options ", - said the expert.

She stressed that for this reason, it is necessary to vaccinate as soon as possible so that the virus cannot develop in the population and mutate.