Mortality from COVID-19 may increase if the virus continues to mutate, said in an interview with TASS, immunologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences Vladislav Zhemchugov.
“Lethality can increase if the strain changes. And it changes in the direction of obtaining greater benefits for the virus, that is, those mutations are selected that contribute to the speed of spread, penetration into cells, ”said Zhemchugov.
According to him, mutating and adapting to new conditions, the virus also responds to vaccination. The expert called the vaccination “the most powerful factor of selection.” He added that the new strains will supplant those against which vaccines have been created and will evade the effects of acquired immunity.
Earlier, a professor at Norwich Medical School Paul Hunter published an article in which, on the contrary, stated that in the coming years the coronavirus could become a seasonal cold and will manifest itself in a mild form and without symptoms. In his opinion, the evolution of COVID-19 will slow down when a dominant strain appears, which may turn out to be “delta”.
Experts in the comments to RBC then called such a scenario unlikely, since the virus is self-improving “in a negative direction for humans,” and its infectiousness is only growing.
