“It’s mutating!” No, really, all viruses mutate, but the D614G variants in the spike protein is worth watching. Strains carrying the D614G variant have come to dominate in multiple regions and are associated with a higher viral load in the nasopharynx
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
All viruses mutate. The coronaviruses mutate relatively slowly, but they do accumulate variants. The D614G variant of the spike protein appears to increase transmissibility, and the higher viral burden in the nose is a reasonable explanation for its increased transmissibility
This adds to the case that people shedding high levels of virus are central to community spread. We need massive scale rapid turnaround testing to identify them quickly, even during their presymptomatic phase. Full disclosure, my company is working to create tests to do this
