Coronavirus infects us silently, can also affect organs other than lungs: Virologist Peter Kolchinsky
A co-founder of Boston-based investment firm RA Capital Management, Peter Kolchinsky is a scientist and biotechnology investor. Peter has also authored two books, namely The Entrepreneur's Guide to a Biotech Startup and The Great American Drug Deal. He pursued a PhD in Virology from Harvard University after completing his BA from Cornell University and has served on the Board of Global Science and Technology for the National Academy of Sciences.,
Peter Kolchinsky joined India Today's Shiv Aroor for an exclusive interaction over the pandemic which has taken the world by storm.
Why did you call coronavirus an evil genius?
Peter Kolchinsky: Viruses are not good or evil, they are nature. I would emphasise the genius side of it. There's something that this virus did that made it more dangerous than SARS-1. This virus decided that it was going to silently infect us, go to the respiratory area and grow.
Has Covid-19 outsmarted us?
Peter Kolchinsky: We are only as effective as the dumbest of us.
How far are we from a vaccine?
Peter Kolchinsky: By the end of this year, vaccines will be made available for healthcare workers, those on the frontlines. The mass manufacturing of the vaccine is likely to begin in the first quarter of next year. This is when people will be vaccinated in schools, offices etc.
What is coronavirus, for a scientist?
Peter Kolchinsky: If you're a scientist, you're learning really quickly right now. You're discovering things about coronavirus that were never talked about as an industry. We will see this through, bring the treatment to patients.
We saw this kind of effort play out over 15 years to cure Hepatitis-C. We are now seeing healthcare developers drop a lot of precautions.
Recently, we spoke to diagnostic centres and asked them to share the level of antibodies that would come handy in the development of a vaccine.
As compared to SARS-1, it's a small change but it makes all the difference.
If things normalise, can Covid-19 strike back with the same strength?
Peter Kolchinsky: It won't strike back but rather stay with us. This will be the fifth coronavirus to stay with us. If it's not like the common cold and more like the flu, it will require a vaccine. This vaccine will be something that will be combined with a flu-vaccine, everyone will need to get it once in a lifetime or perhaps once a year.
Can this virus affect other organs?
Peter Kolchinsky: I believe it's affecting other organs like the respiratory system. It can affect the liver, kidneys or heart. Nobody should be focused only on how many people will be killed, but how many people are harmed by it. The question will be whether most of us who get infected by it in the future, will be asymptomatic or mildly infected.
This virus does not like to mutate. Unlike flu, this virus has a much more difficult time mutating. It tries not to make mistakes.
Does temperature play a role in the spread of Covid-19?
Peter Kolchinsky: It has infected people in different parts of the world. I don't believe that temperature plays a role in the spread of Covid-19.
How do you see re-infections?
Peter Kolchinsky: We need to see the difference between a true re-infection. You are looking for the virus through an RT-PCR test. But if the virus goes to the respiratory system and starts replicating less in the nose or throat, one might think that it is recovered. Sometimes, the person collecting a nasal swab might miss it while trying not to hurt the person.
If we're talking days or maybe a week, they never really recovered from the infection.
What are your thoughts about the lockdown in India?
Peter Kolchinsky: Someone recently analysed the public response during the Spanish Flu. Even at that time, people protested against social distancing. We have always been the same.
What's important is a safety net that would allow people to sit at home and not worry about the next paycheck.
What's going on about asymptomatic cases?
Peter Kolchinsky: Asymptomatic cases absolutely can transmit the virus. It can even spread through speaking. I think we have to be much more mindful of our role in transmitting the virus. You're doing it for everybody else. I think if 80% of people are asymptomatic, the death rate is 1%.
The problem is even if it's 0.2% globally, that's billions of deaths.
What went wrong in the US?
Peter Kolchinsky: When people think they are great at something, that's when they are most vulnerable. Our country and others lacked humility as well as cooperation. In the movie Contagion, they envisioned much of what is happening with us.
You learn as an investor, to hedge options. I hope in the future, we will study all different technologies or modalities. We will decide on a preferred diagnostic test but also have a few backup options.
If a virus like H1N1 becomes transmissible, it will not only kill elderly people but everyone.
Peter Kolchinsky joined India Today's Shiv Aroor for an exclusive interaction over the pandemic which has taken the world by storm.
Why did you call coronavirus an evil genius?
Peter Kolchinsky: Viruses are not good or evil, they are nature. I would emphasise the genius side of it. There's something that this virus did that made it more dangerous than SARS-1. This virus decided that it was going to silently infect us, go to the respiratory area and grow.
Has Covid-19 outsmarted us?
Peter Kolchinsky: We are only as effective as the dumbest of us.
How far are we from a vaccine?
Peter Kolchinsky: By the end of this year, vaccines will be made available for healthcare workers, those on the frontlines. The mass manufacturing of the vaccine is likely to begin in the first quarter of next year. This is when people will be vaccinated in schools, offices etc.
What is coronavirus, for a scientist?
Peter Kolchinsky: If you're a scientist, you're learning really quickly right now. You're discovering things about coronavirus that were never talked about as an industry. We will see this through, bring the treatment to patients.
We saw this kind of effort play out over 15 years to cure Hepatitis-C. We are now seeing healthcare developers drop a lot of precautions.
Recently, we spoke to diagnostic centres and asked them to share the level of antibodies that would come handy in the development of a vaccine.
As compared to SARS-1, it's a small change but it makes all the difference.
If things normalise, can Covid-19 strike back with the same strength?
Peter Kolchinsky: It won't strike back but rather stay with us. This will be the fifth coronavirus to stay with us. If it's not like the common cold and more like the flu, it will require a vaccine. This vaccine will be something that will be combined with a flu-vaccine, everyone will need to get it once in a lifetime or perhaps once a year.
Can this virus affect other organs?
Peter Kolchinsky: I believe it's affecting other organs like the respiratory system. It can affect the liver, kidneys or heart. Nobody should be focused only on how many people will be killed, but how many people are harmed by it. The question will be whether most of us who get infected by it in the future, will be asymptomatic or mildly infected.
This virus does not like to mutate. Unlike flu, this virus has a much more difficult time mutating. It tries not to make mistakes.
Does temperature play a role in the spread of Covid-19?
Peter Kolchinsky: It has infected people in different parts of the world. I don't believe that temperature plays a role in the spread of Covid-19.
How do you see re-infections?
Peter Kolchinsky: We need to see the difference between a true re-infection. You are looking for the virus through an RT-PCR test. But if the virus goes to the respiratory system and starts replicating less in the nose or throat, one might think that it is recovered. Sometimes, the person collecting a nasal swab might miss it while trying not to hurt the person.
If we're talking days or maybe a week, they never really recovered from the infection.
What are your thoughts about the lockdown in India?
Peter Kolchinsky: Someone recently analysed the public response during the Spanish Flu. Even at that time, people protested against social distancing. We have always been the same.
What's important is a safety net that would allow people to sit at home and not worry about the next paycheck.
What's going on about asymptomatic cases?
Peter Kolchinsky: Asymptomatic cases absolutely can transmit the virus. It can even spread through speaking. I think we have to be much more mindful of our role in transmitting the virus. You're doing it for everybody else. I think if 80% of people are asymptomatic, the death rate is 1%.
The problem is even if it's 0.2% globally, that's billions of deaths.
What went wrong in the US?
Peter Kolchinsky: When people think they are great at something, that's when they are most vulnerable. Our country and others lacked humility as well as cooperation. In the movie Contagion, they envisioned much of what is happening with us.
You learn as an investor, to hedge options. I hope in the future, we will study all different technologies or modalities. We will decide on a preferred diagnostic test but also have a few backup options.
If a virus like H1N1 becomes transmissible, it will not only kill elderly people but everyone.
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