Coronavirus mutation: Has COVID-19 mutated? What is mutation?

The S and L mutations in COVID-19 were in the virus’ protein ‘spike’, said Dr Stephen Griffin, of the Leeds Institute of Medical Research and chair of the virus division at the Microbiology Society

The spike plays a key part in the infection process and is what vaccines target.

Around 35 labs and institutions are developing a vaccine with some ready for human trials next month.

Dr Griffin said developers would need to test if their prototype vaccines can still neutralise viruses with the mutations, which may not be a “huge hurdle” as the variations were “fairly limited”.