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Question: How would this affect severity? My basic understanding is because this is a new virus humans have very little existing immunity, which is the problem
by godmode2019 6y ago
Question: How would this affect severity? My basic understanding is because this is a new virus humans have very little existing immunity, which is the problem and why we don't die from colds. Over time our bodies get better at dealing with the virus and the virus gets better dealing with us.
I read a paper on hn to this effect a little while ago, I'll provide source if needed.
- CyberRabbi 6y agoI think in general not causing death in the target host is a naturally selected trait in viruses. The least lethal viruses are the ones that spread the most. This has been observed in herpes, which has evolved to infect nervous system cells but explicitly not nerve cells in the brain (which would cause death). So considering that, perhaps future strains of COVID will reduce their lethality while increasing their ability to infect.
- bluGill 6y agomaybe. Measles was around for years and deadly. It (much like covid) could spread before it killed. Also like COVID it doesn't kill everyone it infects. HIV/AIDS mutates a lot, but doesn't seem to be mutating in such a way as to not kill the host, you can be infected for 5-10 years before it kills you which is plenty of time to pass it on. It appears that a tiny number of people have a genetic immunity to HIV/AIDS, and so they could be the only survivors - which would mean that left unchecked humans will mutate to not be vulnerable to AIDS. (modern medical treatment has made significant progress on HIV/AIDS that I'm ignoring for this point)