Covid-19 is an evil genius. Virologist Peter Kolchinsky explains how
With more than 22 lakh people infected, more than 1.5 lakh dead of the novel coronavirus, health experts all over the world are scrambling to understand just how did this one virus get so potent.
According to world-renowned virologist Peter Kolchinsky, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is nothing short of an "evil genius".
Kolchinsky who spoke to senior editor Shiv Aroor as part of India Today's e-Conclave Corona Series explained how the novel coronavirus developed mechanisms to become a silent killer -- infecting so many so quickly all without a trace.
"There’s something this virus evolved to be able to do that made it more dangerous than the SARS virus. The 2019-nCoV and SARS viruses are somewhat related," he said.
"This one [SARS-CoV-2] evolved to silently infect us...in the upper respiratory area and spread before replicating in our lungs," he added.
To break it down, think of the family of coronaviruses as spiky little buggers floating around in our body. They enter the body through droplets and use their spikes to attach to themselves to proteins in our body's cells.
Once they gain access to the cell, they use the machinery to replicate their numbers.
While the SARS-CoV-1 virus (responsible for the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak) would also enter the body through air droplets, it would target the person's lungs -- very rapidly making the infected ill. Since it made its presence known in a short span of time, it allowed for faster quarantining of patients.
The 2019 edition of the virus is much smarter. It enters the body and makes home in an individual's throat cells. This does not really cause any significant symptoms immediately. The person may remain asymptomatic or even think of it as a minor cold.
Thus a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 will continue moving around, unwittingly infecting more people they come in contact with. Even if the person develops severe symptoms and hospitalised, it will be too late as the virus has already done its job.
Peter Kolchinsky has summed it up for all of us: "SARS-CoV-1 was a comparatively dumb virus. It went straight for the lungs, announced itself before it could spread to others, and so got social distanced into extinction. But SARS-CoV-2, the one plaguing us now, is stealthier, spreading first before revealing itself."
So what's the solution? Social distancing and wearing masks and other protective gear even when you don't think you are infected!
According to world-renowned virologist Peter Kolchinsky, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is nothing short of an "evil genius".
Kolchinsky who spoke to senior editor Shiv Aroor as part of India Today's e-Conclave Corona Series explained how the novel coronavirus developed mechanisms to become a silent killer -- infecting so many so quickly all without a trace.
"There’s something this virus evolved to be able to do that made it more dangerous than the SARS virus. The 2019-nCoV and SARS viruses are somewhat related," he said.
"This one [SARS-CoV-2] evolved to silently infect us...in the upper respiratory area and spread before replicating in our lungs," he added.
To break it down, think of the family of coronaviruses as spiky little buggers floating around in our body. They enter the body through droplets and use their spikes to attach to themselves to proteins in our body's cells.
Once they gain access to the cell, they use the machinery to replicate their numbers.
While the SARS-CoV-1 virus (responsible for the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak) would also enter the body through air droplets, it would target the person's lungs -- very rapidly making the infected ill. Since it made its presence known in a short span of time, it allowed for faster quarantining of patients.
The 2019 edition of the virus is much smarter. It enters the body and makes home in an individual's throat cells. This does not really cause any significant symptoms immediately. The person may remain asymptomatic or even think of it as a minor cold.
Thus a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 will continue moving around, unwittingly infecting more people they come in contact with. Even if the person develops severe symptoms and hospitalised, it will be too late as the virus has already done its job.
Peter Kolchinsky has summed it up for all of us: "SARS-CoV-1 was a comparatively dumb virus. It went straight for the lungs, announced itself before it could spread to others, and so got social distanced into extinction. But SARS-CoV-2, the one plaguing us now, is stealthier, spreading first before revealing itself."
So what's the solution? Social distancing and wearing masks and other protective gear even when you don't think you are infected!
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