Originally Posted by
Australopithecus
I imagine that chief health officers are counselling that Covid might be the gift that keeps on giving to neo-potentates everywhere. Already you can read worrisome advice that the pace of mutations might result in a mutant strain able to escape* the vaccines.
*(immunologist term. Means what you think it does)
The Cassandra-like cautions suggest that we may still end up back at square one dealing with this virus. So nine months worth of scope is either crazy cautious or fetchingly innocent. Someone wake me when its over.
All the scientific commentary I've seen has stated that scientists don't believe current mutations will "escape" the vaccine.
Coronavirus: a single ‘escape mutant’ shouldn’t render a vaccine useless
First vaccine received gets your immune system to create antibodies against SARS-COV-2, which the human body doesn't have unless you've been infected. For next season, probably around the time you usually get a flu vaccine you get a Covid vaccine as well. In time both vaccines may be able to be delivered simultaneously. With mRNA technology we can develop these vaccines targeted towards the expected strains at record speed.
It's actually quite exciting to see how the revolution in medical technology will defeat this pandemic.