CV and mad panic behaviour

[Mav]

The Delta variant is serious. Here’s why it's on the rise, National Geographic.

Good article. This observation is really interesting:

If a mutation gives a virus a fitness or reproductive advantage, that mutation tends to evolve independently around the world. Delta, its closely related variants, and the highly contagious Alpha variant all carry a mutation at position 681 of the spike protein, which is thought to be an evolutionary game changer that also makes it easier for SARS-CoV-2 to invade the host cell and spread. This mutation is fast becoming common in COVID-19 viruses around the globe.

I guess I’ve been assuming that we can keep the Delta variant out of Australia with proper border controls. But it seems that is only part of the answer. If any Covid strain flourishes in Australia, eventually we’ll end up with the Delta variant or worse. Learning to live with the virus as advocated by the “we have to open up and get on with business” crew means we’ll eventually end up with a virus that causes “breakthrough infections” in the fully vaccinated. We just have to hope new vaccines come out that will continue to give us an edge over Covid.