CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The CDC states as of Dec. 20, Omicron has been detected in most states, with the spread of omicron and the delta variant still being detected in the United States. And some want to know if they can be infected with both strains at the same time?
THE QUESTION:
Can you be infected with the omicron and delta coronavirus at the same time?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, you can be infected with omicron and delta coronavirus variants at the same time.
WHAT WE FOUND:
We took this question to Dr. Karla Robinson and Dr. Payal Kohli and both agree you can be infected with both strains.
"It rarely happens, but scientifically, it is possible, and there have been few case reports of multiple strains in one individual at the same time," Robinson said.
"Although it is incredibly rare, those that can get both delta and Omicron infection at the same time," Kohli added.
In fact, the study by the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory shows evidence of co-infections of multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19.
"So the way these viruses mutate, they are essentially almost different viruses, so it is possible to become infected with multiple stains at the same time or multiple viruses at the same time," Robinson said.
This is true for other viruses as well. The Microbiology Textbook says one-way a virus can mutate is when two different strains co-infect the same host cell.
"It’s sort of like getting influenza A and influenza B so two different strains of the same virus can certainly coinfect the same host," Kohli said.
Both Robinson and Kohli say more research needs to be done on whether a co-infection creates more severe symptoms.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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