Russian virologist assessed the likelihood of self-destruction of the delta strain COVID-19: Society: Russia: Lenta.ru
Russian virologist, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Infectology and Virology of the Institute of Professional Education of the Sechenov University Anatoly Altshtein in an interview with the publication Expert.ru assessed the likelihood of self-destruction of the delta strain of coronavirus.
Earlier, the Japanese manufacturers of the National Institute of Genetics Ituro Inue hypothesized that the delta strain COVID-19 has undergone too many corrections, became defective, lost its ability to reproduce and began to self-destruct, which caused a radical decrease in the level of infection in Japan.
According to Altshein, self-destruction of the delta strain of coronavirus is unlikely, but there is a rational grain in the theory of Japanese scientists. “The load of mutations that the virus experiences upon repeated entry into the human body, of course, is capable of reducing its infectious potential,” said the virologist.
He explained that when there are too many mutations in the virus, its infectivity can diminish. Moreover, this can happen not only with the delta, but with any other strain of the virus, but “this is always an unpredictable thing.” Altstein added that he tends to trust the Japanese scientists, since in Japan, he said, virology and molecular genetics are well developed.
Earlier, Altstein said that Russia has passed the peak in COVID-19, but the incidence will remain at a high level. He noted that the high incidence rate will continue until the vaccination results improve in the country. In his opinion, non-working days had a small impact on the coronavirus pandemic, but in Moscow the incidence rate has decreased.