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Scientists Warn Future Coronavirus Mutations Could Evade Vaccines and Treatments
Vaccinating quickly is more important than ever
The relentless surge in Covid-19 cases coupled with an emerging and more contagious strain, if not contained promptly, could allow the coronavirus to mutate and evolve enough to evade existing treatments and vaccines. While infectious-disease experts say such scenarios are not a certainty and could take months or more to play out, there’s widespread agreement on the urgency to take action now to reduce that risk.
Slow vaccine rollout amid already out-of-control virus spread, along with the recent emergence of a mutated strain thought to be about 50% more contagious, have created a “perfect storm” that “could undermine diagnostic testing, antibody treatment, and vaccine efficacy,” says Tom Frieden, MD, former head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s a battle Frieden dubs humanity vs. virus. “The virus is winning,” he notes, in the understatement of the year so far.
By all accounts, the two Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States remain highly effective for now — immunity is not 100% but a high level of it appears to last at least eight months for most people, and perhaps longer, research suggests. But to save lives…
