UK scientists say the coronavirus is “hit and run” and not as well shielded from the immune system as some others – meaning it could be easier to develop a vaccine.
The University of Southampton researchers who made the discovery called it “very encouraging”.
They created a model of the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, which they say shows how it disguises itself to get into our cells undetected.
Professor Max Crispin, who is leading the research, said one of the key findings of the study is that this coronavirus is not as highly shielded as some other viruses.
Professor Crispin explained that the “lower shielding” means there are “fewer obstacles for the immune system to neutralise the virus with antibodies”.
He said it was “a very encouraging message for vaccine development”, although any such product is still widely considered to be at least a year away.
“Viruses like HIV, which hang around in one host, have to evade the immune system constantly and they have a really dense coat of glycans as a shield to the immune system.
“But in the case of the coronavirus, the lower shielding by sugars attached to it may reflect that it is a ‘hit and run’ virus, moving from one person to the next.”
The British researchers at Southampton believe their model provides some reason for optimism.
