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The scientists, in an article published Wednesday, identified a new strain of the virus, which accounted for 99.9 percent of cases during the second wave in the Houston, Texas area.
The paper, which has not yet been evaluated by all colleagues in the field, shows that people who contracted the strain known as the D614G mutation suffered a much stronger infection: suggesting that it is even more contagious.
Although the strain is no longer deadly, the researchers said it has adapted very well
David Morens, a virologist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the findings suggest that the virus can become more contagious and that this “may have implications for our ability to control it.”
The virus has evolved so well that it will resist efforts like hand washing and social distancing: “Wearing masks, washing your hands, all of these things are barriers to transmission today, but as the virus becomes more contagious, it is statistically possible to circumvent and resist these barriers.Morens said.
This has serious implications for vaccines.
As people gain immunity, either through infections or the vaccine, the virus could be extremely powerful and easily evade the immune response.
“It is possible that this coronavirus, although our global immunity is becoming strong enough, will find a way to bypass our immunity.” Morens said. “If that happened, we would be in the same situation as the flu. We will have to follow the virus and, as it suffers mutations, we will have to go to the vaccine … “, the expert also stated.
Another scientist who studied the coronavirus, Jeremy Luban, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, said Wednesday that in terms of SARS-CoV-2– We must remain vigilant, especially when monitoring mutations, inform nypost.
