Professor Murad Shakhmardanov from the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at the Institute of Clinical Medicine of Pirogov Medical University noted that the disease's ability to evade the immune system has increased significantly.
He explained that modern strains of the coronavirus have become less able to infect the deep parts of the lungs, but on the other hand, they are more infectious.
He said: “When people say that COVID-19 has stopped being scary, they are both right and wrong. The currently dominant strains, such as XFG Stratus, which replaced the earlier Omicron strains, tend to infect the deeper parts of the lungs less. But they mostly cause upper respiratory tract infections, such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, and hoarse laryngitis.”
He noted that, at the same time, the virus has become more infectious, as its ability to evade the immune system—whether through vaccination or previous infection—has increased significantly.
He added: "It goes beyond antibodies. However, the risk of severe cases remains in the elderly, the obese, the diabetic, and people with weakened immune systems."
The expert stressed that the mild acute phase can be deceptive, as it can lead to post-COVID complications and syndromes, including autoimmune disorders, even after contracting a mild case that outwardly appears to be a common cold.
