Scientists in China crack coronavirus evolution code

Pharmacists package drugs to treat fever and relieve pain at a community health service center in Shanghai's Huangpu district. - Xinhua

BEIJING (China Daily/Asia News Network): Chinese scientists have discovered the mechanism behind the convergent evolution of the Omicron strains of Covid-19, a feat that could help researchers develop broad-spectrum Covid-19 vaccines and drugs, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Monday (Dec 19).

Convergent evolution is the phenomenon in which different species of an organism independently evolve similar traits in response to shared selective pressures. Scientists suspect this may be one of the reasons that so many Omicron subvariants exhibit high levels of immunity escape, causing breakthrough infections.