More studies...

https://wreg.com/news/mutation-may-make-coronavirus-more-infectious-study-shows/

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A small coronavirus mutation that scientists have been worried about for weeks may make it more infectious, according to a new study.

The study suggests the mutation gives the virus four to five times more spikes, which make it more stable and easier to infect human cells.

“Viruses with this mutation were much more infectious than those without the mutation in the cell culture system we used,” says Scripps Research virologist Hyeryun Choe, Ph.D., senior author of the study.

 

The mutation, called D614G, affects the spike protein, a structure on the outside of the virus that it uses to enter cells, according to researchers at Florida’s Scripps Research Institute.

https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2020/20200612-choe-farzan-coronavirus-spike-mutation.html

 

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Mutated coronavirus shows significant boost in infectivity
COVID-19-causing viral variant taking over in the United States and Europe now carries more functional, cell-binding spikes.

 

Again seems to point to the theory that Thailand dodged the bullet due to an earlier D614 strain having swept through in late 2019.

On 5/7/2020 at 1:13 AM, Crazy Alex said:

And slowly the Blame America First version takes shape. Before long, it will likely be traced to some Trump supporters who were waving Confederate flags.

Obsessed much?

Here's another article with more links:

 

https://medium.com/microbial-instincts/what-the-d614g-mutation-means-for-covid-19-spread-fatality-treatment-and-vaccine-7dda1c066f0d

 

Seems to suggest it's a lot more infectious, but otherwise same - ie. mortality and other traits remain same. Having a higher R0 means reaching the vulnerable population faster and causing hospital resource exhaustion and then higher mortality, though. Might be what we have seen.

 

Here's good news, if my theory of D614 having swept over Thailand in November-January holds:

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 Their review also cited three studies showing that antibodies built from natural D614 and G614 infections can cross-neutralize — meaning that antibodies made against D614 could work for G614, and vice-versa. “The D614G mutation is therefore unlikely to have a major impact on the efficacy of vaccines currently in the pipeline, some of which exclusively target the RBD,” Prof. Grubaugh et al. concluded.