4 ms·
That entirely depends on the selection pressure being applied. A vaccine that only targets the spike protein is a great way to select for a mutation with a diff
by throwaway316943 5y ago
That entirely depends on the selection pressure being applied. A vaccine that only targets the spike protein is a great way to select for a mutation with a different spike protein. Limiting human contact selects for strains that can infect during short periods of exposure… oops.
- api 5y agoVaccination means you don't need to limit exposure so much, which reduces selection for casual transmissibility. It also means the existing un-mutated virus has far less of an opportunity to "experiment" and mutate further.
- mandmandam 5y ago> It also means the existing un-mutated virus has far less of an opportunity to "experiment" and mutate further. You seem to be ignoring the time variable. If wide-spread vaccination slows the spread, then the spread lasts longer, unless and until the virus is totally eradicated.
- api 5y agoVaccinate enough and the virus can be totally eradicated even if the vaccine is only 50% effective. With a 90+% effective vaccine it's fairly easy. We did this with smallpox.