By Hemaja Burud
By discovering these mysteries, we might be able to develop plans for self-defense and pandemic prevention.
As coronaviruses replicate themselves, a built-in mechanism of proofreading helps to prevent mutations.
The disease-fighting antibodies that people develop after contracting an infection or receiving a vaccination are able to avoid these variations.
At least portion of the virus's rapid development has taken place within the bodies of people with severe immunodeficiency
The more copies of the virus that are produced while it is within a person, the more opportunities there are for mutation to occur.
Another worry is whether coronavirus-infected animals may serve as reservoirs for the emergence of novel variations that could re-infect people.
A study stated that the virus had been discovered in 29 other animals as of January. The ability to swiftly change existing RNA vaccines is one of its beauties.
As it adapts to the environment within those animals, it may acquire mutations and subsequently spread possibly more deadly variations back to people.
Seven-day averages obtained by The Washington Post show that there are still more than 50,000 new infections and 400 fatalities reported each day in the United States.
Although the current coronavirus vaccines have been successful, they provide less reliable defense against some of the more recent strains.
Targeting vaccinations to viral proteins other than the spike protein is one tactic that researchers are hoping may enhance vaccines.