Do Viruses Get Weaker as They Mutate?

That's a mutation. Most of the time, mutations are so small that they don't significantly affect how the virus works, or they make the virus weaker, Dr. Rhoads says. But occasionally, a mutation helps the virus copy itself or get into our cells more easily.

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.

How is the new mutation of COVID-19 different from the original strain?

Compared to the original strain, people infected with the new strain -- called 614G -- have higher viral loads in their nose and throat, though they don’t seem to get any sicker. But they are much more contagious to others.