, which were not related to each other, one had recently traveled to Ireland and the other to New York.
Mutations are a natural byproduct of the coronavirus replicating and spreading. These errors in the genetic code usually don’t change how the virus functions. But sometimes the changes can give it an evolutionary advantage, enabling it to outcompete other variants in circulation. It’s not clear yet which of these mutations make the variant more contagious or how. This version could be better at entering cells, or as some research suggests, it could yieldthat make it easier for people to infect others. To find out, scientists will need to conduct studies in cell and animal models.
That’s because people typically mount broad immune responses that target more parts of the virus than a single region of the spike protein, said Harm van Bakel, a geneticist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Even if there is a change in one particular region, there are still other antibodies we develop as part of our antibody response that would be able to recognize other parts of the protein as well,” he said.
Well here's to hoping it gets here sooner, rather than later
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