Here we go again.

[JamesE]

Look! Now we don't have to worry about Delta anymore... https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-ultra-contagious-lambda-variant-detected-in-australia/LAUYIDU2L7SSWMX6IQDTOYCX6A/

[SickBuffalo]

It is quite possible that a more transmissible variant could wipe out a more virulent but less transmissible variant.

[billybob]

I have read that there is a natural limit as to how far Covid can mutate and the current batch of 'good' vaccines provide pretty good protection from all existing variants and can be modified to cope with any potential changes. So if you live in a country with a good medical system, money for a continuing vaccination programme  that takes into account by prioritizing comparative risk then (hopefully) the endgame is in sight. Sadly Thailand is a long way from that end game just now and is likely to get much worse before it gets better. 

[HolyCowCm]

On 7/7/2021 at 3:21 AM, SickBuffalo said:

It is quite possible that a more transmissible variant could wipe out a more virulent but less transmissible variant.

Yeah that would be ideal, but it could also go the other way and become a more adaptable one that multiplies faster and becomes more resistant to the vaccines and more chameleon like not triggering immune systems. I pray it doesn't go the worse way.

[SickBuffalo]

40 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yeah that would be ideal, but it could also go the other way and become a more adaptable one that multiplies faster and becomes more resistant to the vaccines and more chameleon like not triggering immune systems. I pray it doesn't go the worse way.

Well, in general, variants do become less virulent as they become more transmissible. This is a parasite, it is not in its interests to kill its hosts.

The common cold, another coronavirus, caused a deadly plague when it first crossed over from cows, but then became more moderate and has remained that way ever since.

[HolyCowCm]

17 minutes ago, SickBuffalo said:

Well, in general, variants do become less virulent as they become more transmissible. This is a parasite, it is not in its interests to kill its hosts.

The common cold, another coronavirus, caused a deadly plague when it first crossed over from cows, but then became more moderate and has remained that way ever since.

I am not sure as not a doctor or scientist, but I have seen many people with common colds that looked as if they got hit hard by a locomotive hitting them dead in their tracks. Not all are the same and can lead to complications going to severe in some people. I guess just depends on how strong your body is. I think with this virus is it mutates in order to keep multiplying. I think in general your statement maybe correct ,but the virus doesn't have a brain and feelings to k now not to kill its host. 

Let's just hope it doesn't become the Mutant Adromeda Corona Virus 19 Alpha -Beta-Bravo-Delta-Pluto resilient to UV strain of the 21rst century. Just a joke, not scare mongering. 

[gummy]

4 hours ago, SickBuffalo said:

Well, in general, variants do become less virulent as they become more transmissible. This is a parasite, it is not in its interests to kill its hosts.

The common cold, another coronavirus, caused a deadly plague when it first crossed over from cows, but then became more moderate and has remained that way ever since.

Guess both of your two examples could equally be applied in principle to politicians 

[Shark]

Wouldn't this be the Echo variant then? :-)

[gummy]

1 hour ago, Shark said:

Wouldn't this be the Echo variant then? :-)

hello hello hello

[JamesE]

4 hours ago, Shark said:

Wouldn't this be the Echo variant then? :-)

Epsilon, they're using the Greek alphabet. But the newest Variant of Concern is Lambda. This would indicate that there are six other variants that haven't gone on to gain notoriety.

[JamesE]

11 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Yeah that would be ideal, but it could also go the other way and become a more adaptable one that multiplies faster and becomes more resistant to the vaccines and more chameleon like not triggering immune systems. I pray it doesn't go the worse way.

This is a concern. You have a large unvaccinated/anti-vax population where variants are basically free to develop and spread. This population is embedded in a vaccinated (by various shots) population where those variants can test themselves. If a breakthrough variant succeeds it can then move back into the unvaccinated population to see if it is transmissible enough to replace existing variants. Rinse and repeat.

10 hours ago, SickBuffalo said:

Well, in general, variants do become less virulent as they become more transmissible. This is a parasite, it is not in its interests to kill its hosts.

The common cold, another coronavirus, caused a deadly plague when it first crossed over from cows, but then became more moderate and has remained that way ever since.

This is true when the evolutionary pressure is such that the virus transmits better when it doesn't kill its host. For our current bug, it is transmissible both asymptomatically and pre-symptomatically so there is no pressure on the back end, as it were, to be less virulent. When you add that to the evolutionary fitness forcing it to learn how to circumvent vaccines its selection of humans as its new host species becomes very interesting. We may be witnessing the development of the first super-virus.

[SnapDragon]

What variant are you?