virus mutations are to escape antibodies

An example of teleology in public science discourse:

"the mutations are located around the spike protein, and this is indicative of the fact that the mutations are there to escape antibodies generated from vaccination or from previous infection

there will be other mutations in other parts of the virus emerging as the virus also has to overcome a number of other blocks to infection, but clearly one of the key ones is these neutralising antibodies that are generated by vaccines"

Prof. Ravindra Gupta

Prof. Ravindra Gupta (Professor of Clinical Microbiology, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge) was speaking on an episode ('Coronavirus – new variants') of the Radio 4 programme/podcast BBC Inside Science.

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Author: Keith

Former school and college science teacher, teacher educator, research supervisor, and research methods lecturer. Emeritus Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.