JAKARTA - Virology expert from Udayana University, Ngurah Mahardika, said that there are differences in characteristics between the COVID-19 virus in Indonesia and the virus that was first discovered in Wuhan, China. Even so, this difference is considered not too striking so as not to cause the virus to become more virulent.
The findings were obtained after carrying out a number of studies of various COVID-19 cases that occurred in Indonesia. Ngurah explained that two types of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were found in Indonesia which are different from their original location, namely Wuhan.
"There are several viruses that are exactly like Wuhan, some are different, but not many. Now there are two different virus models," Mahardika said in a discussion broadcast at Graha BNPB, East Jakarta, Thursday, June 18.
However, said Mahardika, the data on viruses that can be collected by virology researchers is currently still limited. With existing data, it can be concluded that there are only two different types of corona virus in Wuhan.
Although there are different types of viruses, Mahardika said that the substitution of the virus in Indonesia is not located at the receptor binding site . So, it is unlikely that the virus will mutate to become more virulent.
"Because, if it changes at the receptor binding site , the virus could be malignant, then antibodies and no role, the vaccine will also lose its usefulness," Mahardika explained.
Furthermore, Mahardika concluded that the corona virus in Indonesia was not too unique. That way, according to him, if a vaccine is found, it can be used in Indonesia.
"If you find vaccine seeds from any country, they should be used in Indonesia. Because the immune response to COVID from the existing mutation pattern doesn't change much," he said.
Therefore, Mahardika asked the public to continue implementing the COVID-19 prevention protocol so that COVID-19 does not have room to mutate.
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