Viruses mutate ready and that is to be expected. Scientists have been tracking those mutations while following coronaviruses journey around the world. Some of the mutations help the virus to spread others do nothing at all. But as corona virus multiplies and changes could also become more deadly. This is your covered 900 special here on the w. Im chris cuomo welcome to the program the coronavirus is not the same that came out of china half a year ago like other viruses it has mutated and a recent Study Suggests the globally predominant strain is more infection that the. New coronavirus like all other viruses is constantly mutating as it replica. Its inside its human host. The virus uses to multiply by injecting its Genetic Information into our cells the cell them becomes a kind of virus factory mass producing the genetic material that allows more of the virus to develop. As the virus replicates mistakes are often made. Errors mean the genetic material changes causing a mutated version of the virus if those changes are advantageously the mutation will go on to spread. So they want some of it sounds kind of to doesnt appear to mutate as easily as other viruses like influenza for example. So. Experts say it doesnt have to because the spar its been so successful nevertheless a mutation could take place the might hit humans much harder than previous versions of the virus. Isnt it will because it would be an evolutionary disadvantage if as a virus my host died while i was trying to replicate. The most successful viruses are those that show no symptoms to begin with allowing them to spread before taking down the host if a more aggressive mutation of corona virus were already spreading it might be hard to spot. That would require very complex testing in a lab or it would have to be done very precisely to be able to answer questions like is this for more infectious can the immune system deal with it better such studies take a lot of time. One major change in the virus has apparently already been determined generations of coronavirus replicated in the lungs a new mutation is using hosts. Somewhere else in the body the throat more contagious if not more deadly so what does that mean for the search for a vaccine all research is struggling to keep up with an ever changing virus. As a skunk. It completely depends on how this vaccine is designed whether it does end up offering a broad immune response. Or the virus would have a tougher time quickly getting around a vaccine with the wide reaching and very effective in response there start. For the most of us it isnt it seems we may not need a new vaccine every new year unlike with influenza as at least the hope we have for the coming years. With every new patient emerging immune to surviving copy 19 pressure piles on coronavirus to change as it does scientists will have to keep up. Earlier i spoke to dr andrew has backed out of the Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the austrian i got a mean of sciences and as there are now multiple versions of the corona virus i asked them if their characteristics were vastly different there are hundreds of different mutations and and this is a totally natural normal process because these are new viruses they have an imperfect replication of their own genome so per se just finding mutations is nothing bad or good this is just how nature works ok lab Research Shows that the globally dominating version of the corona virus transmits more easily between humans now than the original did does that mean its also more dangerous. No it does not mean that its more dangerous youre referring to one particular mutation that has been in the media over the last few weeks and its known by researchers for a month already its called the 614 cheap imitation. And yes it is a prevalent mutation that is found pretty much all over the globe by now and also by now scientists actually taint it and in the lab in vitro that this mutation might lead to high infectivity again in vitro but what this actually means in the human to human transmission scenario and for the pandemic is still something researchers need to work out so it transmits more easily does that mean. Its less contagious less lethal. I think at the moment there is very little evidence that it effects the clinical course of infection the only thing i guess that is more or less hard evidence is that patients who have this virus with this give mutation tend to have a higher viral load and have fired over could translate into higher transmissibility but the actual proof of this is still missing in out there. Other ways to predict how viruses are likely to mutate. Thats a difficult one i think its easier to look backwards Richard Speck to flee and i think these mutation landscapes that we have basically identified in the past have been a wonderful tool to look back into history where custom virus come from and tracking its history right but looking in a more prospective future forward looking perspective this is i think more difficult and this has to do with the fact that mutations occur randomly and it depends on the context whether they might confer an advantage to the virus or not so that sense i think you cannot predict exactly which will be the next mutations coming out yes there mutation that we have already actually tell us a lot about the history of the virus now as the Novel Coronavirus has changed has mutated over the last couple of months what does that mean for the development of a vaccine of course one maybe needs to explain it a vaccine is usually working by means of antibodies or also by not immune cells called t. Cells endorse immune cells and antibodies to recognize specific regions in the virus in the proteins of the virus and so if these proteins would mutate to wait and potentially the target is gone and the vaccine would not be working anymore however what is important to make clear is that a vaccine that has only one target but it has multiple targets tens or hundreds of targets and in this regard i think its extremely unlikely that one or few mutations on the virus side would render the vaccine effect less of an aspect of a member of the Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of sciences thank you for your insights. And next up is Derrick Williams hes our science correspondent and has been hard at work answering your questions about coven 19 heres our latest installment. Of any researches tried i havent. Talked about this a couple of months ago but in light of recent developments i thought it would be good to discuss it again Health Officials in some countries particularly in south america have been promoting the anti parasitic drug ivermectin as a treatment for covert 19 and people have been buying up supplies of it even though there is no solid evidence that the medication works against the new corona virus ivermectin it is however a very effective treatment for infestations of of nasty things like like lice and pen morgans. One big problem now is that with stocks of the drugs used to treat humans depleted people are beginning to self dosed with versions of the drug that are usually prescribed for animals now it should be obvious why thats a very bad idea there are human trials going on and at least one has been concluded but the 1st results dont really look very convincing until we know a lot more the w. H. O. Is not recommending ivermectin for anything but what it was developed for which is parasite infestations. How different is saz caved to to other viruses that infect us for example do people who catch influenza sometimes have no symptoms yes although asymptomatic is a is a pretty squishy term weve known for decades that people who dont report flu symptoms can test positive as as carriers for the bug and older estimate. Its usually put the number of asymptomatic carriers for flu at around 50 percent much cited british study from 2014 however determined an even larger number of people infected with influenza never develop symptoms 77 percent to be exact now if thats correct it means not even one in 4 people who catch the flu will ever show any signs of it one way or the other even if the estimates dont all agree there is plenty of evidence showing that its quite common for us to catch a range of other viruses and show no signs of illness and theres also broad agreement that those asymptomatic carriers are likely contributing significantly to the spread of those diseases. And of course you can post your questions to derek on our you tube channel and if youd like to keep up with the latest developments on the corona virus pandemic to subscribe to our newsletter just log on to g. W. Dot com slash corona dash newsletter. And finally its back to school for 6000000 students in seoul after a covert 19 emergency in the south korean capital schools reopened to with many changes though face masks of course are now i must for teachers and students even on the soccer fields temperature checks are now a daily experience anyone whos temperature it sees through 7. 5 degrees celsius is sent home students are also divided into rotations meaning that songs stay at home or they take virtual classes south korea was the 1st asian country to reopen schools after a corona lockdown in may. And thats a show thanks for watching stay safe and have a great weekend. Eco africa. That is known as the plastic man of. Want to fund this campaign in 15 years to get people in senegal to use less plastic in the. Corona restrictions are forcing him to stay at home hes carrying out the fight. And africa. Next d. W. Like. A mom gorgeous was food for the russians so. Steep. So many different walks of life was some are. Awfully strong but all of that comes straight from the heart to explore see where you can afford theres no money to. The marsh will enjoy. Some of the law to their final resting place the russians are w. Documentary. We know this is a scary time for us the coronavirus is changing the world changing our lives so please take care of yourself good distance wash your hands if you can stay at home were d. W. B. For here for you we are working tirelessly to keep you informed on all of our platforms were all in this together and together well make it through. Stay safe everybody stacy stay safe stay safe the priest has to say. A one welcome to this edition of all environments show up because i am sandra from kampala here in uganda of also also be covering the effects of the current a virus pandemic in africa here in uganda for example