Why does the coronavirus mutate? How do we stop it from becoming more dangerous?

 

COLOMBO : Sri Lanka on Saturday approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in Sri Lanka, as the island nation battles a third wave of the virus, while suffering a restricted supply of vaccines from neighboring India.

An undated scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round gold objects), the virus that causes COVID-19, emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab and isolated from a patient in the US

Why does the coronavirus mutate? How do we stop it from becoming more dangerous?

There are two or three COVID-19 mutations happening every month.

But just as we’ve had to make changes to our daily lives, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) has also been adapting – or rather, mutating – to ensure its survival.

“This virus is relentless. It is very smart and is always one step ahead,” said Dr Ling Li Min, an infectious diseases physician from Rophi Clinic.

Dr Ling was a speaker at a recent webinar under Mediacorp’s ongoing virtual health and wellness event Body And Soul Fair, where she explained just how vaccines work to contain the spread of COVID-19 as well as its effects on stopping it from mutating into future, more dangerous new strains.

The new strains have the ability to transmit more rapidly, and perhaps, the ability to cause more severe disease but that still needs to be confirmed.

Regardless of the strain, SARS-CoV-2 has spike protein that “sits outside the wall of the virus”, said Dr Ling. Studies have shown that after mutation, the spikes become “flatter so the virus can enter a human cell more easily”. In other words, the virus is better able to evade the host’s immune system

This virus is relentless. It is very smart and is always one step ahead

CAN VACCINES CURB MUTATIONS

The answer depends on how fast the vaccination take-up rate is. “If the rate of vaccination exceeds the rate of infection, it gives the virus less of a chance to mutate,

What happens if you skip your second COVID-19 vaccination shot? Does it matter?

Researchers from Cornell University and Boston Children’s Hospital surveyed a representative sample of more than 1,000 Americans in February, and found that 20 per cent believed they were strongly protected after just one dose of a two-dose vaccine. (Another 36 per cent said they weren’t sure how protected they were.) And among those respondents who had already received at least one shot, 15 per cent didn’t remember being told to come back for a second dose. About half didn’t remember anyone telling them that protection was strongest after the second dose, according to the report, published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

“Our survey exposed the fact that there is still a lot of confusion about the timing of protection when it comes to getting vaccinated,” said John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and a co-author on the research.

Q: Is it ever too late to get my second dose?

A: No. If you skipped your dose for any reason, you don’t have to start all over again with another two-dose regimen. The C.D.C. has said that if supplies are low or appointments aren’t available, patients may extend the interval between doses up to six weeks. In Britain, the second dose has been delayed up to three months. Whatever the timing, doctors advise you to get your second dose, even if more time than recommended has passed since your first dose.

Q: Do people who have tested positive for Covid-19 still need a second shot?

A: Yes. Even if you’ve had Covid-19, you still will get stronger immunity from vaccination. A person’s immune response to a natural infection is highly variable. Some people may produce few antibodies, and some variants seem to dodge natural antibodies more easily than stronger vaccine-generated antibodies. While it’s not clear how much extra benefit a recovered Covid patient gets from two doses, versus a single dose, you need a second dose to provide proof of full vaccination, should you need it for travel or for work. People who have had Covid-19 in the past are advised to wait about 90 days after infection before getting vaccinated if they were treated with convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies. If you get Covid-19 after your first dose, you may need to adjust y our vaccination schedule until you are fully recovered and no longer need to isolate. Check with your doctor about the best timing if you’re not sure.

Q: What if I’m avoiding the second dose because I’m worried the side effects will be worse?

A: Side effects like fatigue, headache, muscle aches and fever are more common after the second dose of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. But while side effects can be unpleasant, they are manageable, short-lived and a sign that your body is building a strong immune response.

Q: Should I get the second shot if I had a severe reaction to the first dose?

A: There are rare cases in which forgoing the second shot is medically advised. The C.D.C. recommends that people skip their second dose if they have a severe allergic reaction after their first shot. The guidance is the same for a milder allergic reaction that develops within four hours, such as hives, wheezing or swelling, even if it doesn’t require emergency care. For most other side effects, though, the agency recommends getting the second dose, unless a doctor or vaccination provider advises otherwise. If you think you had a severe or unusual reaction to your first shot, consult with a physician. You should also check with your doctor if you experience a worrying side effect or side effects that don’t seem to be going away after a few days