Coronavirus mutation emerges that may bypass mask-wearing, hand-washing protections

[Michie]

New strain contains higher loads of the virus, may be more contagious

A new COVID-19 mutation appears to be even more contagious, according to a study — and experts say it could be a response by the virus to defeat masks and other social-distancing efforts.

Scientists in a paper published Wednesday identified a new strain of the virus, which accounted for 99.9 percent of cases during the second wave in the Houston, Texas, area, the Washington Post reported.

The paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, said people with the strain, known as the D614G mutation, had higher loads of virus — suggesting it is more contagious.

Though the strain isn’t more deadly, researchers said it appeared to have adapted better to spread among humans.

Continued below.
https://nypost.com/2020/09/24/covid-19-mutation-may-be-evolving-to-bypass-masks-hand-washing/

 

[com7fy8]

I think it can be misunderstood and/or misleading to say it has higher loads and bypasses precautions, to keep it simple. Below, I will try to offer an explanation. In any case, from what I have gotten, precautions can help, still, even with this newer strain, though in certain cases precautions won't help not so much or not at all. But in a number of cases, still the basic precautions can help. For the long explanation, if you dare >

It says the strain has higher loads. I think this means higher loads of virus in the infected person's system. And if a sick person has more virus, in oneself, then I see how this can mean the person is putting more out.

But also this newer strain has more capability to infect. I mean, each individual virion has more ability to infect a person.

Why? According to what I read, it seems possible that an individual virus of this strain has more attaching devices on its surface; therefore, in case it makes it into the person, an individual virus has a better chance of attaching to a lung cell so it can enter it.

Those little spikes we see sticking out from a coronavirus are the attachment devices. In this strain, it seems claimed, an individual virion has more of these, than other virus strains have on individual viruses.

If this is correct, still it can help to wear a mask and wash hands, if such procedures help to keep the virus from entering our bodies, in the first place.

But if each virus is better equipped to attach once inside the body, then it might take fewer individual viruses getting in to cause an infection.

So, I see it could be incorrect to say they "bypass" masks and hand washing. But the extra attaching spikes make the raiders each more efficient. And so, virus individuals which are dry-airborne could be more of a risk; not such a high concentration in the air would be needed.

If I understand correctly, ones say that usually dry air infection is more likely after you have spent more time with someone in a closed space, since this gives virus in the air more time to get to you. But if they become more efficient at attaching, then possibly not so many dry air virus and not so much time with them would be needed > in this such a case, they would be bypassing hand washing and regular masks, anyway.

Yes! anyway!!

Dry air suspended virus can bypass a mask and hand washing, anyway.

So, it is possible, still, I would say, to benefit from distancing and hand washing and sanitizers and masks. But maybe make more sure we do not spend time with people in closed spaces, like in a car or small room. I personally will position myself so wind is blowing across between me and someone I am talking to, outdoors. And if I get near someone in the market, I might hold my breath while walking by so I am not breathing the air through or around my mask while I am near that person.

It is understood that twenty seconds of soapy hand washing can break up the bonds that hold together the giant molecules of the surface of the coronavirus. I would say this does not change if the virus has more spikes > it still has those bonds which can be broken up by soap.

However, it seems likely that a virus coming through the air can bypass hand washing > any virus can.

So, may be someone has not represented this matter correctly. And it seems human for us to be ready to grab onto any new rumor or misrepresentation that means there could be a new problem. So, as well as we can, we need to make sure if we are at least understanding someone correctly. So, may be I still don't have it right, myself

Right now, it seems reported that competing politicians are accusing each other of trying to load people's perception with intellectual viruses, so each side can make themselves look like the trustworthy ones, and their opponents are not.

I personally don't favor either side. And it seems precautions can help, and the COVID-19 virus is a relative of cold viruses for which a vaccine has never been developed, I understand. So, for all I know, this could happen, too, with the COVID-19 virus. And precautions can at least slow down the spread so hospitals don't get overloaded and medical workers do not become broken down by the strain and stress. We could be loving them as ourselves, by making the sacrifices.

I think the mainstream idea is hand washing can help, masks can, sanitizers can, and distancing can . . . can help. But any dry airborne virus can fly into a person, bypassing all of that. But if you stay a distance from someone who is sick, the air can have less virus by the time it gets to you from that person, so you can be less able to get infected. But in case there is a virus version more efficient, then even that air-diluted quantity can still be more able to infect you, possibly even from over six feet. Plus, if you are breathing deeply because of singing or exercise, that might help any virus to get deeper into your lungs so it has more of a chance.

And it helps to not let ourselves get infected by fear and frustration and stress and hopelessness. These infections can be much more damaging. So . . . be blessed with God and enjoy loving

 

[RushMAN]

another thing the article said, and forgive me @com7fy8 you may have mentioned it, it is not as deadly the scientist found

 

[com7fy8]

it is not as deadly the scientist found

What I have read is it is not more deadly. But less deadly would also be not more deadly

But . . . if it can spread much more readily so more people can be killed . . . this is deadly, but in numbers, not intensity of the case.

Actually, it is not deadly, at all, in a number of cases. What matters is if in each case it is deadly or not.

I'm not sure, actually, how they can measure the deadliness of a new strain, when there can be such a range of cases, from asymptomatic to terminal, but they might be able to tell from statistics showing if more of a percentage of known cases are terminal.

Plus . . . I now think of this > how a patient is has so much to do with how deadly the virus is. Maybe it can be like how a bee sting is not deadly, really, but someone allergic to bee venom can die very quickly. The precondition of the stung person has a lot to do with it. And, perhaps somewhat like this, the deadliness of COVID-19 can be "subjective".

And, by the way . . . in case this means something > according to the little I have been researching this COVID-19 thing > a virus joins to a cell, gets into it, reproduces, then the cell "nicely" sends the new-made virus on its way out of the cell. The virus uses the "machinery" and chemicals of the cell to reproduce itself and get new ones on their way. The virus itself, then, might not terribly damage the cell, though I suppose it could cause trouble by depleting needed cell chemicals; but the virus is not directly damaging the cell, but just uses it . . . it seems to me.

The problem is when the cell tattles on the virus by hanging a virus chemical out so immune cells passing by can detect that hung-out chemical and realize that the virus is present in the cell. And then is when killer cells destroy the cell. The killer cells are part of the human immune system! So, the virus isn't necessarily hurting anyone, of all things, if I understand this correctly.

So, what is destructive can be the reaction of the human body, not what the virus itself is doing.

So, it seems to me the deadliness really can have a lot to do with each person's intensity and safety of how his or her body reacts.