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If covid-19 is an RNA virus can we truly expect to get an effective treatment since the virus can mutate at any time?
It is possible that we can develop therapeutics for RNA viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. Other RNA viruses of medical importance include rhinoviruses (another cause of common cold symptoms), dengue, Yellow Fever, and West Nile virus. One major approach is to develop a drug that specifically attacks a part of the viruses life cycle so that the replication of the virus is prevented. Remdesivir is what is called a ribonucleotide analog, so it is taken up by the virus and interferes with the one of the critical parts of the viruses ability to perform RNA production (blocks the action of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase).
All viruses have some level of “infidelity” in replication, which means that mutations can occur. HIV is notorious for being a virus that mutates very quickly and frequently. SARS-CoV-2 has not demonstrated a lot of mutation potential throughout the past few months of its existence.
