Covid warning: Next variant could be ‘more severe’ – urgent alert issued

Jason Leitch, Scotland’s National Clinical Director, has warned that people will need to “adapt” to the next strain of the virus. Earlier this week Mr Leitch claimed the next mutation of the coronavirus pathogen could be “more severe” than Omicron. The news comes as Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs there are signs of “encouragement” in recent coronavirus data as the new variant continues to spread across Scotland.

The First Minister said that new infection numbers have fallen in all age groups.

Although the number of infections has not fallen for the over 85s.

She added that the situation in Scotland’s hospitals appears to be improving.

There have also been early studies that Omicron may be milder than previous variants.

One scientific report suggested that the risk of hospitalisation could be two-thirds lowers compared to Delta.

Senior Clinical Advisor Mr Leitch warned that Omicron will not be the last variant Scotland will see.

The scientist was interviewed by STV’s Scotland Tonight where he suggested that the next strain could potentially be worse.

He said: “We’ve had four variants, and they’ve got progressively worse.

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“So you could get a more mild one, and that would help us and you would end up having fewer people in hospital.

“But you could also get a more severe one.

“So we have to be ready for all of those eventualities.

“This is not the last variant, there will be another one.

“So governments all over the world, including ours, have to be ready and businesses have to be ready.”