Health Equity

Scientists in the Los Alamos National Laboratory have released a study suggesting the current coronavirus strain dominant in the world is more contagious than the earlier version that "started" the epidemic.

The report was published on BioRxiv, so the study has not been peer reviewed. It was published there to speed up collaboration in the development of a vaccine. The report was based on analysis of more than 6,000 coronavirus genetic sequences collected by the Global Initiative for Sharing Influenza Data.

The report suggests a mutation of the coronavirus affected the "spikes" on the virus' exterior, which impacts how the virus enters human respiratory cells. Researchers developing a vaccine had hoped the novel coronavirus was stable, allowing for a more rapid vaccine development. In addition, warm weather could further mutate the virus.

The research did not settle a debate within the academic community whether there could be different strains of the novel coronavirus within countries. For example, there have been thoughts in the medical community that the differences in infection rates between the East and West Coasts of the U.S. could be due to two different strains.

The study's authors, according to news reports, took to social media to note the negative news about their findings but emphasized the positives. Bette Korber, the study's lead researcher, pointed out that the study was only due to the unparalleled collaboration in the scientific community and further research, including work on a vaccine, will come about due to continued international work.