Will the ‘soup’ of Covid variants in which we are ‘immersed’ today, more than 3 years after the appearance of Sars-CoV-2, take us out of the pandemic? “It is likely that we are heading towards a new era in which the virus will gradually reduce its diffusivity and lethality characteristics”. Bet on competition between variants as a factor capable of decreeing the end of the Covid nightmare the hypothesis proposed by two Italian studies conducted by scientists from the University of Insubria, as explained by Fabio Angeli, professor of diseases of the cardiovascular system, who coordinated the research group. The work of the experts is published in the ‘European Journal of Internal Medicine’ and focuses on the variants of Sars-CoV-2 in a journey from the Wuhan virus to Arturo, the last ‘daughter’ of Omicron (a recombinant) which is gaining land especially in some areas like India.
The analyzes of the Italian researchers open up to the hypothesis that the competition between new variants of Sars-CoV-2 could lead to the reduction, albeit gradual, of mutations threatening to humans. One of the two works came out today and analyzes the evolution of the virus from 2020 to today, telling how, in recent months, the new variants have competed with each other, opening up a new scenario of hope. The study follows an article published in recent weeks in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, in which the scholars had examined the effects of mutations on the Kraken variant. Both works are signed by Angeli with Martina Zappa, biotechnologist at the University of Insubria, and Paolo Verdecchia, a cardiovascular researcher from Perugia.
“Despite the fact that the mechanism responsible for the infection has remained substantially unchanged, the evolution of the virus observed in the last three years – comments Angeli – has been characterized by numerous mutations which have actually entered into ‘war’ with each other. But in recent months, this competition has not led to the absolute dominance of particular variants.Currently the pandemic scenario is characterized by a ‘soup’ of different variants, which suggests (thanks to the results of complex mathematical models) a gradual reduction over time of the probability of new mutations responsible for greater spread and aggressiveness of the virus”.
Is the Insubria study therefore hypothesizing that the competition between variants could decree the end of the pandemic? “It is likely – Angeli reiterates – that we are heading towards a new era in which the virus will gradually reduce its diffusivity and lethality characteristics. This hypothesis will have to be evaluated over time, continuing to monitor Sars-CoV-2 and trying to explain the effects of restrictions and anti-Covid vaccination on the mutations and characteristics of the virus”.
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