"It Will Become Similar to Other Seasonal Viruses"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Sarah Gilbert, a professor at Oxford University and co-developer of the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, predicted that there is no possibility of a more deadly variant of the COVID-19 virus spreading.
On the 22nd (local time), Professor Gilbert stated at an online seminar of the Royal Society of Medicine in the UK that viruses usually tend to become less deadly as they spread among populations with increasing immunity. She added, "There is no reason to think that we will have a more severe form of COVID-19."
Professor Gilbert explained, "The spike protein must interact with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on the surface of human cells to penetrate them, so the virus cannot mutate completely," adding, "If the virus changes the spike protein too much, it will not interact with the receptor and will not invade the human body."
She continued, "Therefore, there are not many possibilities for the virus to become one that can evade (human) immunity while still being highly contagious."
Professor Gilbert predicted that COVID-19 will eventually become similar to other seasonal coronaviruses that cause common colds and respiratory infections.
She pointed out, "This virus tends to show gradual genetic variation, but as with all other seasonal coronaviruses, people's immunity will gradually develop," adding, "There are four human coronaviruses that have circulated for decades, but we hardly recognize them."
She added, "Eventually, COVID-19 will become one of them," and said, "The question is how long it will take and how we will manage it in the meantime."
Sharon Peacock, director of the UK COVID-19 Genomics Consortium (COG-UK), who also attended the seminar, said, "It has been quite quiet since the emergence of Delta, and it is better to think that there are no new variants to worry about."
He emphasized that the best way to prevent the emergence of worrying variants is to have as many people vaccinated as possible.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
