There are no shortage of headlines about how deadly Covid19 is and how it is mutating and getting more dangerous.
It is important to note that it is mutating far slower than other RNA virus or even DNA viruses such as Influenza or HIV.
A 'mutation' is classified as a change of 10 or more RNA letters out of the 29,903 letters in the RNA strand that makes up SARS-Covid19. So far there has been no significant changes in how deadly the virus is, just increases in its transmissibility. That mutation is now ubiquitous and that makes it easier to develop vaccines and other medicines to treat it.
It is not, by any measure, a 'deadly' disease. It is very easy to transmit so everyone could get it but the mortality rate, even compared to other Corona Viruses, is extremely low.
It is also worth noting that treatments for people with Covid19 have improved significantly in the last 18 months so fewer resources are needed to treat them; they place less strain on the healthcare system. Merck's antiviral oral medication reduces the rate of hospitalisation amongst those infected by 50%.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing what we are doing but irrational fear doesn't serve anyone's real interests.
It is important to note that it is mutating far slower than other RNA virus or even DNA viruses such as Influenza or HIV.
A 'mutation' is classified as a change of 10 or more RNA letters out of the 29,903 letters in the RNA strand that makes up SARS-Covid19. So far there has been no significant changes in how deadly the virus is, just increases in its transmissibility. That mutation is now ubiquitous and that makes it easier to develop vaccines and other medicines to treat it.
It is not, by any measure, a 'deadly' disease. It is very easy to transmit so everyone could get it but the mortality rate, even compared to other Corona Viruses, is extremely low.
It is also worth noting that treatments for people with Covid19 have improved significantly in the last 18 months so fewer resources are needed to treat them; they place less strain on the healthcare system. Merck's antiviral oral medication reduces the rate of hospitalisation amongst those infected by 50%.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing what we are doing but irrational fear doesn't serve anyone's real interests.
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