Is The Coronavirus Mutating And Becoming More Contagious?
A new study prompted scary headlines this week about a mutation in the novel coronavirus that could possibly make it more contagious.
The paper from scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and researchers in the U.K. warns of a mutation affecting the “spikes” on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This new strain has become more prevalent, the authors say, meaning it could theoretically make the disease spread faster and more people ill. They call it an “urgent concern.”
Almost immediately, debates began over the data and what exactly it revealed. The Los Angeles Times published a story with the title, “Scientists say a now-dominant strain of the coronavirus could be more contagious than original.” The New York Times reported that a “turbocharged” version of the coronavirus was unlikely. Experts have been mixed about what the results of the study could mean, wondering if there might be other reasons we’re seeing a more dominant strain of the virus crop up in recent months.
So, what’s the deal? Is a new strain of the virus actually capable of spreading wider and faster, and should we be concerned?
The study reveals there’s a new dominant strain of the virus, but it’s not necessarily a more infectious one
If you look at SARS-CoV-2 under a microscope, you can see tiny “spikes” on the virus, which are what it uses to attach to your cells and make you sick. The study found that these spikes are actually mutating, explained Kirsten Hokeness, chair of the department of science and technology at Bryant University and an expert in immunology, virology and microbiology.
“The crown-like spike proteins are what the virus uses to infect host cells so that it can replicate and then exit,” said Hokeness, who was not affiliated with the study. “So, the spike plays an important role in the life cycle of the virus in humans. Without it, we would not get infected.”
Frank Esper, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the...
