Did a Mutation Help the Coronavirus Spread?
More Evidence, but Lingering Questions. Researchers Claim That a Predominating Variant Had a “Fitness Advantage. ” but Many Experts Are Not Persuaded. What...
More Evidence, but Lingering Questions. Researchers claim that a predominating variant had a “fitness advantage.” But many experts are not persuaded.
What happens if COVID-19 mutates?
Thanks to science fiction, the word “mutant” has become associated in popular culture with something that is abnormal and dangerous. Yet in reality, viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are mutating all the time and often this process does not have any impact on the risk the virus poses to humans.
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How do mutations in the virus that causes COVID-19 happen?
When viruses infect you, they attach to your cells, get inside them, and make copies of their RNA, which helps them spread. If there’s a copying mistake, the RNA gets changed. Scientists call those changes mutations.
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
