Or will the virus stick around for a long time, transforming into a mild annoyance, like the common cold? The virus is evolving rapidly, and new variants are popping up in different countries. We don't have enough data yet to know," said Jeffrey Shaman, who studies viruses at Columbia University. That pathogen was an H1N1 virus with genes that originated in birds, not a coronavirus. "Very commonly the descendants of flu pandemics become the milder seasonal flu viruses we experience for many years," said Stephen Morse, who studies viruses at Columbia University.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 14, 2021 21:04 UTC