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zeynep's profile
zeynep tufekci
zeynep tufekci
zeynep tufekci
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@zeynep

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zeynep tufekciVerified account

@zeynep

Complex systems, wicked problems. Society, technology, science and more. @UNC professor. @NYTimes columnist. My newsletter is @insight: http://www.theinsight.org 

floating in a most peculiar way
theinsight.org
Joined August 2009

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    1. zeynep tufekci‏Verified account @zeynep 7 Dec 2021

      zeynep tufekci Retweeted zeynep tufekci

      Again: Viruses do not necessarily evolve to be milder—especially if they transmit early, like this one. Our immune system learning about it—via vaccines or infection—can mean better response next time, so milder experience. Not same as virus becoming intrinsically less virulent.https://twitter.com/zeynep/status/1465075561236250631 …

      zeynep tufekci added,

      zeynep tufekciVerified account @zeynep
      This is a myth. Especially for a virus that can transmit early in disease course, like this one, selection pressure is on transmission, not virulence. So a new variant can be MORE or LESS virulent (when everything else equal, i.e. host immunity). https://twitter.com/soccervolleymom/status/1465074442044850183 …
      Show this thread
      19 replies 275 retweets 1,072 likes
      Show this thread
    2. zeynep tufekci‏Verified account @zeynep 7 Dec 2021

      Selection is on transmission: viruses becoming more transmissible makes sense! People may be thinking more transmission via milder disease because host moves around more? But virus could still kill the host, eventually, or transmit early, as this one, without dampening spread.

      6 replies 24 retweets 149 likes
      Show this thread
    3. zeynep tufekci‏Verified account @zeynep 7 Dec 2021

      Evolution is not a teleological process, bad match for a story-telling species' brain. Things seem to make sense—the just-so story—but we must go back to the mechanism. What's being selected for? How? FWIW, I don't think we have clarity on Omicron's intrinsic virulence, yet.

      3 replies 28 retweets 220 likes
      Show this thread
    4. zeynep tufekci‏Verified account @zeynep 7 Dec 2021

      zeynep tufekci Retweeted Prinz-Midas

      No, this doesn't make sense. There is no intrinsic trade-off mechanism between the two, and situations where both can and do go up, like Delta. And the virus doesn't "care" if it eventually kills its host as long as it is spreading.https://twitter.com/PrinzMidas/status/1468228080024137737 …

      zeynep tufekci added,

      Prinz-Midas @PrinzMidas
      Replying to @zeynep
      No virus would profit from killing its host. When it mutates it makes sense that it changes lethality for infectiousness. But there might be mutations that could be more lethal by chance, right?
      14 replies 42 retweets 266 likes
      Show this thread
    5. Raffi‏ @rak3re 7 Dec 2021
      Replying to @zeynep

      I feel like you’re missing nuance here. ON AVERAGE increasing lethality would reduce transmission, all else being equal. But that is not to say there is *always* evolutionary pressure to become less lethal either.

      3 replies 0 retweets 1 like
      zeynep tufekci‏Verified account @zeynep 7 Dec 2021
      Replying to @rak3re

      Not if lethality follows the transmission period, as it does in this case.

      7:10 AM - 7 Dec 2021
      • 1 Like
      • Paolo Ricci
      1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
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