China is experimenting on mutant Covid strains again – should we be worried?

Last month , a group of virologists from Beijing cloned and mutated a Covid -like virus found many years ago in a pangolin and used it to infect humanised' mice.

The purpose of the research was to determine the danger posed to humans by new Covid viruses and provide data for the development of a universal vaccine one that is capable of protecting against all coronaviruses.

All projects begin with a written risk assessment that requires sign-off from the Health and Safety Executive .

If the research is deemed too dangerous, authorisation won't be granted.

Experiments involving Covid virus and its variants are performed in a Containment Level 3 ’ laboratory.