Re:Covid drug drives viral mutations – and now some want to ...
by Dalewyn on Thursday February 09, 2023 @06:25PM
(#34733221)
This conversation gets confusing because "mutation" as a term is being used inappropriately (it's why I add scare quotes). I alluded to this already in my comment.
Actual mutations, as in DNA transcribing errors, will occur regardless of vaccines. It's an inevitable part of DNA replication. Such mutations can lead to evolution when faced with certain environmental factors such as a population bottleneck effect.
Vaccines, by way or increasing immune system response, can cause a population bottleneck effect and encourage evolution. We're seeing it with covid variants resistant to prior vaccines and immune responses.
Re:Covid drug drives viral mutations – and now some want to ...
by Dalewyn on Thursday February 09, 2023 @09:36PM
(#34734952)
by way of*
Noticed the typo too late to edit it. :V
Re:Covid drug drives viral mutations – and now some want to ...
by TechBro8615 on Friday February 10, 2023 @04:38PM
(#34746268)
The original "vaccines do NOT cause mutations" was playing the same semantic game, by replying to a comment (that was obviously referring to selection pressure from population bottlenecks) with the most obtuse interpretation of it.
So no, vaccines DO NOT CAUSE mutations. Mutations are a natural consequence of replication. Vaccines CAN cause FEWER mutations, as they reduce how much the virus can replicate inside you before your immune system clears it, reducing how many chances at mutation the population of covid viruses have.