![]() ![]() Many of the new variants have mutations that help the virus latch more tightly onto cells before slipping inside them. That’s why it was a matter of time before the coronavirus mutated in ways that made it more infectious. Douglas Richman, a UC San Diego virologist. It’s survival of the fittest, on a microscopic scale. And viral variants with a competitive edge will eventually outnumber less successful strains. But every now and then, a mutation lets a virus spread more easily from cell to cell or person to person. ![]() Given enough time, some copies will have a few random errors, or mutations - a bit like how you’re bound to make a few typos after transcribing the same document 20 times. ![]() The emergence of new strains means the coronavirus is doing what all viruses do: mutating.Įach time a virus infects a cell, it copies its genetic material.
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