covid armchair theory
@bonifartius It seems highly unlikely a vaccine would directly cause a mutation. It might create a condition in which a naturally occurring mutation is more advantageous to the survival of the virus, but the vaccine actually causing a mutation in the virus' RNA though? No I don't think so.
covid armchair theory
@b6hydra that's what i've meant, increased evolutionary pressure to select for another way to get into the cells.
mutations are nearly always spoken about as more dangerous, but it should work as well into the other direction. there is no evolutionary benefit in increased morbidity, it is a side effect of other benefits. the ideal virus has no noticeable negative consequences for the host and is easily spread.
covid armchair theory
@bonifartius Oh that makes more sense, sorry. In that case would actually expect morbidity to increase while mortality decreases. Morbidity is rate of infection, mortality is rate of death. That's the evolutionary trend other similar viruses seem to have followed. Whether or not that will be the case with COVID, I don't know. Even in armchair theory I'm hesitant to speculate too much haha.
covid armchair theory
@bonifartius OK, well I follow your logic. It makes sense but maybe I just don't know enough to make a specific prediction.