Coronavirus

[TLS Guy]

Why would they try to modify a virus only to make it worse? I'd think they want to make it less potent? Also, I'm weary of the "herd immunity" phrase since there were people initially saying that. Was anyone really gonna infect more people first to reduce the virus? Doesn't seem to be in the govts interest to kill more people first.

First Herd immunity is a natural event and happens as more are exposed, by contact, immunization and to a large extent both. You modify a virus to make it worse as a development of a weapon of war.

 

[GO-NAD!]

First Herd immunity is a natural event and happens as more are exposed, by contact, immunization and to a large extent both. You modify a virus to make it worse as a development of a weapon of war.

According to the article I linked, weaponizing a virus is not the primary reason for GOF. The fear is that legitimate gain of function efforts could lead to bad actors hijacking such work in order to make a weapon.

 

[TLS Guy]

According to the article I linked, weaponizing a virus is not the primary reason for GOF. The fear is that legitimate gain of function efforts could lead to bad actors hijacking such work in order to make a weapon.

Yes, gain of function is done to predict what viruses could do, then try and get ahead of the curve so to speak. Count me highly skeptical about that, and I'm not alone. I think the risks far outweigh any possible benefit. An you can bet the virus will still mutate in a way the researchers never thought of!

 

[mtrot]

According to the article I linked, weaponizing a virus is not the primary reason for GOF. The fear is that legitimate gain of function efforts could lead to bad actors hijacking such work in order to make a weapon.

Reminds me of the deadly virus in Mission Impossible 2

In Mission: Impossible 2, the deadly biological weapon is a genetically modified synthetic virus named Chimera.

I guess I can maybe see such a possibility as providing some justification for gain of function research as a way to stay ahead of possible bad actors/terrorists who might pay big money to some guru to come up with a viral weapon with which they can threaten nations. Or even kidnap such a scientist and force him or her to develop the virus.