Letter – Viruses Mutate

I am a retired dentist who practiced in Wawa for a number of years.  I am not an expert in microbiology but 50 years ago, in dental school, a large portion of the course work was the study of bacteria and viruses and how to protect our patients from them. A quick check shows what was taught then is still true today. Viruses mutate.

A mutation is a random change in a virus to one with different characteristics. Covid 19 has already mutated. That’s why we already

have varients such as the Delta which make the virus easier to catch though, thankfully, is still impacted by the vaccines we have.

Mutations take place in a warm human body that has little resistance to the virus. A vaccinated person has strong immunity so the virus is unlikely to live long enough in that person to mutate.

However, there is the possibility that sooner or later the original Covid-19 virus or one of its variants could change to a form not

affected by the vaccines we have today. In that case, we could have a new pandemic with basically a new virus. That could mean more restrictions to personal freedom and the need for the development and distribution of a completely new vaccine.

Over the last year vaccine developers in different countries and different companies, have been working their butts off to provide us

in record time with anti-Covid 19 vaccines which are safe and effective. The more people are vaccinated the healthier we will all be

and the less chance there will be for the development of a vaccine-resistant Covid-19 variant.

Don’t let the door stay open for vaccine resistance to happen. Get vaccine protection as soon as possible. Be safe, and help us get our

lives back to normal.

Dr Mark Owen

Wawa, Ontario