MAIN PATHWAYS AND HOTSPOTS OF THE SPREAD OF THE SARS-COV-2 XFG ("STRATUS") STRAIN

The aim of this work is to describe the probable transmission routes and typical foci of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant XFG ("Stratus"), based on data regarding its antigenic and virological properties and in comparison with other variants (Alpha, Delta, Omicron). It is shown that XFG, which exhibits pronounced immune evasion with a slightly reduced affinity for ACE2, relies on the same dominant transmission mechanisms as other Omicron subvariants: airborne and aerosol pathways in conditions of close indoor contact [1,3,4,13].