• Question: If a vaccine is not developed, what causes a virus to stop spreading?

    Asked by anon-256593 on 10 Jul 2020. This question was also asked by anon-256951.
    • Photo: Sonia Rodriguez

      Sonia Rodriguez answered on 10 Jul 2020: last edited 11 Jul 2020 7:58 am

      A virus stops spreading when it cannot find someone to infect, because they can only multiply inside the cells of the person/animal they infect and they cannot usually live for long outside the cells.
      There are two options to avoid infection. The first is being immune or resistant to the virus either through vaccination or previous contact with the same virus, which creates protection against a second infection. The second option is implementing measures, such as social distancing, that make it difficult/impossible for the virus to find more people to infect and keep multiplying.

    • Photo: Sareen Galbraith

      Sareen Galbraith answered on 12 Jul 2020:

      The development of good diagnostics and treatments for the virus will also play a part in stopping spread. Spread can also stopped by helping people to take steps to avoid catching the virus.

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