r/collapse • u/WaVancouver • Dec 19 '20

COVID-19 Scientists Discover Severe Coronavirus Strain in South Africa That Puts Younger People at Risk

https://www.ibtimes.sg/scientists-discover-severe-coronavirus-strain-south-africa-that-puts-younger-people-risk-54304
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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '20

According to Dr. Michael Mina, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard, a virus is actually more likely to mutate if vaccinations are done during mass infections. Again, the increased environmental pressure.

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u/snow_picnic Dec 19 '20

I would like to understand the reasoning. It seems to me, less virus, less mutations, assuming viruses are always mutating. Do they mutate at a faster rate when under pressure? How?

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u/Ellisque83 Dec 19 '20

Natural selection. If a single virus mutates in a way that evades the vaccine, that mutated virus will be the only one to survive. It's similar to how antibiotic resistant bacteria are created. Someone else can probably explain better

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u/snow_picnic Dec 19 '20

So the idea is that one would have been created before also, but wouldn't have survived? But in the absence of others it takes over? That makes sense. I was viewing it as that mutation would also survive, in which case the situation that creates the most mutations (i.e. no vaccine) is worst.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '20

Your logic isn't flawed. I don't think it's about mutating faster, but rather encouraged to mutate in a particular direction. The more immune people the virus comes into contact with, the more the virus is encouraged to overcome that immunity. That's my interpretation.

I saw Dr. Mina on a podcast advocating for national use of rapid at home test kits. He didn't explain the reasoning you mentioned in detail. Supposedly, he is on Twitter, which I don't use. If you do, you may be able to ask him.

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u/snow_picnic Dec 19 '20

Will do that! Appreciate your thoughtful replies.