4 ms·

How does mutating eradicate the non-mutated individuals?

• whatshisface 6y ago
  In the Plauge Inc videogame, you can upgrade your virus globally by unlocking mutations. I think that might be where the popular misconception about mutations instantly weakening the virus on a global scale come from. In real life that can happen, but only in situations where it sits around in the population for years, so that it has had several "go-rounds" to sieve the best genotypes from the worst.
• jansan 6y ago
  My personal theory is that lethal mutations or the ones that cause severe symptoms get detected and isolated where possible, while the mutations that cause only mild or no symptoms can continue spreading silently without anyone noticing. If both create the same immunity, the non lethal mutations will win. If this theory holds, testing only if a person is showing symptoms would be the right thing to do. Filter the dangerous mutations, let the other ones spread.
• fspeech 6y ago
  A mutated virus that spreads faster gives immunity to the hosts it infects from the ones that spread slower. The hope is that the more transmissible strain is also less lethal.