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Yes. Covid will continue to mutate to become more contagious and less deadly. This is the natural progression of endemic viruses, they don't want to kill their
by loourr 5y ago
Yes. Covid will continue to mutate to become more contagious and less deadly. This is the natural progression of endemic viruses, they don't want to kill their hosts and they want to spread.
- the-dude 5y agoViruses have no agency, will or desires.
- mrkstu 5y agoThe one imperative they do have, in effect, is to replicate. That imperative translates into the real world into analogues of action that replicate to equivalent observable effects.
- lambdaba 5y agoThis kind of anthropomorphism is acceptable, it's not like the poster doesn't understand how evolution works... I'm pretty sure "experts" have used the phrase as well. The gist of the comment is correct though.
- the-dude 5y agoA variant could emerge which is more contagious and more deadly.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- jjk166 5y ago"Want" in this case is clearly understood to mean the option that is evolutionarily favorable. Per this site's guidelines: "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith."
- UncleOxidant 5y agoBy the time people die of covid they've already spread the virus. Generally by the time people die they've cleared the virus. It's the inflammatory response that kills them. There's really no evolutionary pressure for covid to become less virulent since people can spread it prior to being symptomatic.
- minitoar 5y agoThere absolutely is pressure because you spread it for longer & to more people if you’re not horribly symptomatic or dead.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- somewhereoutth 5y agoPlease give us an example of an endemic human virus that naturally progressed to become more contagious and less deadly?
- loourr 5y agothe common cold or the flu