I wonder if, as a side effect of near-universal social-distancing, we will end up eliminating any other contagious viruses, such as flu strains. Or instead, will the new selective pressure cause more widespread mutations of these viruses?
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I'm not sure the extent to which viruses compete. In my mind, many viruses are probably complementary, as the immune system gets overwhelmed. There are plenty of replication factories to go around, and most viruses have strong prefs for cell type.
Yes, it's beyond my current understanding. But I heard a virologist speaking on the radio about selective pressure resulting in mutations, and I worked back from that to try to understand why. Definitely don't assume any expertise on my part!
