In short:

Australia has recorded its first cases of the XEC COVID-19 variant that has been spreading in Europe this year.

The mutation is a "recombinant" variant that is a mix of two previous Omicron subvariants called KS 1.1 and KP 3.3.

What's next?

An infectious disease expert says the strain has the hallmarks of something that could lead to a "summer wave" of infections.

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[–] unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

My impression from predictions was that covid would get weaker over time, but more persistent, and become an extra thing aside influenza.

[–] rtxn@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Remember when we thought people would realize the dangers of a global pandemic, and through a shared responsibility, we could do to COVID what we've done to smallpox and measles, and it would blow over in a few months?

Fuck you, people. All you had to do was stay in your fucking homes and wear a fucking cloth over your stupid fuckin mouths.

[–] dumbass@leminal.space 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I got some people to start wearing a mask by explaining to them you can quietly talk shit about people in public with a mask on and no one will notice unless they hear you, which they wont if you're not being loud.

[–] unemployedclaquer@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

I couldn't agree more, but all that could ever do was mitigate the spread. And I think all that no-contact messaging did help, but there's no way you could prevent people from eventually wandering out to fuck each other.