Deltacron

We now have a cross between the Delta variant and the Omicron variant of COVID-19.  This crossing is called a recombination and occurs when a new variant (Omicron) increases in prevalence to match or surpass the previous variant (Delta).  With both variants flourishing, a recombination was probable and occurred first in France and then in the US. There are now 60 cases in France, the Netherlands, Denmark, the US and the UK, but these may be independently occurring and genetically slightly different.  Deltacron is very much like Delta but its spike (the important bit) is from Omicron.

Whether this makes it better or worse than the two current variants remains to be seen. It does mean that previous infections of either Delta or Omicron, and the existing vaccines, will all continue to provide protection against serious illness.