Expert: Mutations Cause COVID-19 To Get Weaker

ILLUSTRATION/UNSPLASH

JAKARTA - Professor of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Amin Soebandrio stated that mutations had caused the new variants of COVID-19 to weaken.

"The mutation actually makes the virus look weak. Only four to five percent of the mutations can make the virus more fit or adaptable," Amin said in the Free Travel Online Talkshow As Long As It's Booster, reported by ANTARA, Friday, September 2.

Amin said that viral mutations can occur randomly. In the process, the virus will replicate itself when it finds a new person (host) to transmit to, but there is a possibility that there is an error in copying its genetic material.

As a result, only four to five percent of the mutated viruses can adapt to environmental stresses, either due to drugs or antibodies.

It is this opportunity that Indonesia must then face. Because more and more people are infected, the possibility of mutating and giving birth to new variants which are quite worrying will continue to be wide open.

“In a certain period of time, it will actually decrease. Both its infectious ability and virulence," he said.

According to Amin, this condition cannot be underestimated because it causes the risk of transmission to occur to any party.

"I said 45 percent of the mutations actually caused the virus to die. About 30 percent caused the virus to become weaker and about 25 percent of the mutations did not cause any changes. But only four to five percent causes the virus to survive," he said.

Amin emphasized that the vaccines that have been obtained by the community, regardless of the number of doses, can be very useful and form immunity in the community.

Vaccination provides protection from viruses that are constantly mutating and changing.

Several large vaccine companies are also trying to adapt their vaccines to new variants.

He hopes that vaccination coverage can continue to be increased without any inequality in each group in society.

"Speaking of mutations as long as we can prevent the virus from finding a new host (through vaccination), then it will minimize the possibility of the virus mutating, that's what we have to do," he said.