That article is a lot of words to say “possibly, but also possibly not”.
That is the usual path for virus mutation but Corona is proving to be the exception.
The versions of the virus have had variable hospitalization rates, and infection rates.
Right now, the correct answer is, “we don’t know”. The next mutation is probably only a month or two away.
>Viruses aim to create as many copies of themselves and spread as widely as possible.
Viruses don’t aim to do anything. That is a very poor way of expressing it because it can lead people to think that viruses are somehow capable of rational thought and planning.
Surely the science correspondent for a national newspaper knows better?
As long as any variant retains its “golden bullet” of being transmissible for 5 days before symptoms show, their is no real selective pressure on it to become less lethal. It has very likely spread by that point and overall population is still increasing, so its not impacting on its pool of hosts.
The 4 existing coronavirus’s that cause the common cold have all evolved to produce similar symptoms and severity. Which I guess is the apex for that line of viruses. Therefore would it not be logical for Covid-19 to follow the same path?
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That article is a lot of words to say “possibly, but also possibly not”.
That is the usual path for virus mutation but Corona is proving to be the exception.
The versions of the virus have had variable hospitalization rates, and infection rates.
Right now, the correct answer is, “we don’t know”. The next mutation is probably only a month or two away.
>Viruses aim to create as many copies of themselves and spread as widely as possible.
Viruses don’t aim to do anything. That is a very poor way of expressing it because it can lead people to think that viruses are somehow capable of rational thought and planning.
Surely the science correspondent for a national newspaper knows better?
As long as any variant retains its “golden bullet” of being transmissible for 5 days before symptoms show, their is no real selective pressure on it to become less lethal. It has very likely spread by that point and overall population is still increasing, so its not impacting on its pool of hosts.
The 4 existing coronavirus’s that cause the common cold have all evolved to produce similar symptoms and severity. Which I guess is the apex for that line of viruses. Therefore would it not be logical for Covid-19 to follow the same path?