Covid-19 now exists in two forms, indicating it's already mutated at least once

Re:Covid-19 now exists in two forms, indicating it's already... by nostrademons on Thursday March 05, 2020 @07:42PM (#22500055)

Unknown at this time. It doesn't follow that a specific mutation would mean that your immune system would fail to recognize a different strain. Antibodies don't work like that - just look at how the smallpox vaccine was done through inoculation with cowpox, a completely different disease. Scientists would need to study a cohort of people with known immunity to one strain of COVID-19 and see if they can get it again with exposure to a different strain.

It's also unknown whether it's possible to develop immunity to COVID-19 at all, with reports of reinfection in both China and Japan.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Covid-19 now exists in two forms, indicating it's already... by SpicyLemonZest on Thursday March 05, 2020 @09:03PM (#22500415)

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something about the immune system, but that doesn't seem possible. How can you eliminate a viral infection without developing immunity to the virus causing it - aren't they both the same underlying process?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Covid-19 now exists in two forms, indicating it's already... by rolph on Thursday March 05, 2020 @09:49PM (#22500616)

if the virus is particularily good at shifting the code that corresponds to Epitopic Regions of its antigens, namely those found on the spike protien of the virus then its in an arms race with the immune system.

[ Parent | on HN ]