Mutations are a sign of trouble because a vaccine or drug may not be effective if the virus mutates completely
KARACHI: Those that are unaware of the biological details of viruses need to know that a virus can take on many forms or mutations in order to survive in different hosts and environments. The same is the case with the novel coronavirus. The rapid spread of the virus has also caused it to mutate in an attempt to adapt to its human hosts. Scientists at the University College London’s Genetics Institute have now confirmed this to be a fact by sampling the genetic data of more than 7,500 people infected with Covid-19. Their findings show almost 200 recurrent genetic mutations of the virus. These mutations mean that the virus has the ability to create resistance against the body’s immune system which causes it to live longer inside the host and eventually take over.
These mutations are a sign of trouble because a vaccine or drug may not be effective if the virus happens to mutate completely from what it originally was. It is a simple equation: the more it spreads the more it mutates. Therefore, it is important to take precautionary measures if we are to find a cure. This is why the WHO has been insisting from the very start that countries need to curb the spread of the deadly virus. Leaders around the world should heed this call and ensure that they don’t play a part in making matters worse. We do not want the current situation to become our new normal.
Sara Haider
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2020.
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