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Comment by JudasGoat | Hacker News Reader

I am going to go against the grain here and ask someone more knowledgeable than myself if the large number of changes in this variant is typical in virus evolution? Because as an outsider, it appears to me that studying the history of past pandemics would present a road map as to what must be modified to attenuate the damage potential in a virus. I suppose my question really is, why are we chancing GOF research, if not to use in this situation?

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Thank you for your question.

There are virologists and immunologists currently exploring the mutation-space of SARS-CoV-2 for nearly all potential mutations that produce a viable virus capable of infecting human cells. Based on that mutation-space, they're trying to determine if a vaccine regime can exist which can counter all possible mutations of SARS-CoV-2. So far, it looks like it's possible.

Here's a presentation about the work being done at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIcaSqQFrX0

> There are virologists and immunologists currently exploring the mutation-space of SARS-CoV-2 for nearly all potential mutations that produce a viable virus capable of infecting human cells. Based on that mutation-space, they're trying to determine if a vaccine regime can exist which can counter all possible mutations of SARS-CoV-2. So far, it looks like it's possible.

Well, that would be just awesome! Any chance for similar pan-effective vaccines for other viruses?

It would be pretty cool if COVID-19 ended up having the silver lining of enabling a step-function improvement in vaccine technology.

What I'm curious about is if the "leaky" vaccines are actually the cause for the amount of mutation we've seen in Covid in 2 years. Variants seemed to accelerate after vaccine rollout began but, I'm not remotely qualified to say they're related.

It doesn't seem likely. Vaccines were mostly rolled out in the west (read: United States), whereas the initial variants (alpha and delta) were a result of COVID proliferation in unvaccinated areas. Delta, for example, first really blew up in India.

It is important to not forget the little details, and to avoid speculations based on broad statements (e.g. the vaccines "rolled out" and we got "more variants"). The vaccines started rolling out to very specific locations and we got variants everywhere.

Your question caused a likely ludicrous and unoriginal idea to pop into my head - I wonder if it would be possible to purposefully engineer and release a mutated form of a virus like SARS-CoV-2 that demonstrates the ability to replace more dangerous strains, but causes only mild symptoms? Essentially to accelerate a process that we hope to see happen naturally.

Dangerous game that is. Covid vaccines are essentially what you propose, but without the natural ability to spread. Designed to be without side effects, turns out not to be so much without side effects Only time will tell.

I guess, that's ultimately the idea of vaccines.

Influenza viruses mutate enough to require new vaccines every year, coronaviruses tend to mutate less frequently but this is offset by the number of hosts with Covid

There are currently trials in the US for a universal influenza vaccine which will counter most possible mutations of the influenza virus: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-launches-c...

What do you mean by studying past pandemics?

We did not had that many and I'm not sure but I assume COVID is one of the most studied ones.

Due to our modern technology and the high capital damage.

Certain predictions were expected through pref pandemics like expecting COVID becoming 'normal' like the common cold.

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