Specifically, Nguyen found a variant that’s mostly delta but contains the spike protein of omicron – the tiny studs on the surface of the virus that initiate infection. “So a good chunk of the virus’ spike protein is omicron but the body of the virus is still delta,” Nguyen says. “So yes, that’s the best way to describe it.”…

“So very often recombination is the way in which we get pandemics of influenza. ,” Dr. Mike Ryan with the World Health Organization said on Friday. “So we have to be very cautious … we have to watch these recombinant events very, very closely.”

For instance, omicron’s spike protein is especially apt at hiding the virus from our immune system, especially our antibodies. And so the XD variant is essentially the delta variant wearing omicron’s invisibility cloak.

“From the variant’s perspective, it has the best of worlds,” Nguyen says. “”It’s surprising that the virus can really do this, and do it very well, as well.