The Attack of Mutant COVID-19:
Conversations with a Biomedical Scientist
This hour we will be exploring Mutant COVID-19
January 9, 2020 the world health organization announced a mysterious coronavirus-related pneumonia in Wuhan, China. Since that time, the world has been on one wild ride. There has been much debate, information and misinformation as to what we are in for and how best to respond.
Ultimately the most hope was placed upon producing an effective vaccine. December 11th, 2020 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease. Mass distribution began and there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Then, enter stage left – COVID’s ability to mutate. What is being referred to as a double mutant’ COVID-19 variant, B.1.617 has now been designated a variant of interest. What is a variant of interest? How many variants are there? What do these mutations mean for the effectiveness of acquired immunity and the current vaccines? What are the best ways to protect ourselves at this point? How and when will this ever end?
With us this hour is a gentleman we’ve had the pleasure of having on the show before, Dr. Dennis Carroll. Dr Carroll has been kind enough to come back on to discuss what we might expect from the mutations of COVID-19.
He has a doctorate in biomedical research, with a special focus in tropical infectious diseases, from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was a Research Scientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory where he studied the molecular mechanics of viral infection. He has over 30 years of leadership experience in global health and development. Dr Carroll served as the Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Emerging Threats Division. Dr. Carroll was responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the Agency's programs addressing new and emerging disease threats. He currently heads the Global Virome Project, an international partnership to build the systems and capacities to detect and characterize future viral threats.
His website: globalviromeproject.org
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