“leading to mutated versions of the virus that have been found to spread to other patients.”
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I can’t help but wonder if that was by design or by error.
It was by design. Zombies mutations coming soon.
Yes of course it was intended because we have known what makes novel zoonotic viruses deadly for over a century. Epidemiology is not a new science.
The science behind this drug is new. The earliest paper I have read about the concept dates to 2016 however work on it ramped up when COVID-19 hit. I cannot say that the drug will be successful in forcing the mutations which result in the virus being both more contagious and way less deadly, but I can say that what you seem to be concerned about is already occurring in the wild in Sars-CoV-2 and is the reason why COVID-19 is becoming now like the common cold.
Here is a link to the latest paper I have read about it from March 2023:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004223002870
Please correct me anyone with my thanks. I am no expert. I can accept how a mutation in the ExoN domain might deactivate nsp14 which in turn will result in rapid mutagenesis, but how you would make that happen by giving somebody a drug is way over my head.
yeah, a feature, NOT a bug ...