The "other versions" part is, in the long run, going to tell us more about COVID and possible ways of dealing with it. Because if I were an evil person trying to spread a world-wide plague, I'd be looking at something that has persisted against all efforts, like the common cold and tweak that, instead of searching out and researching unknown exotics. Much faster. However, it could even be more mundane greed: if I were a Pharma executive, what better thing to peddle than something which prevents colds? But who would pay to develop and test that up front?
The "other versions" part is, in the long run, going to tell us more about COVID and possible ways of dealing with it. Because if I were an evil person trying to spread a world-wide plague, I'd be looking at something that has persisted against all efforts, like the common cold and tweak that, instead of searching out and researching unknown exotics. Much faster. However, it could even be more mundane greed: if I were a Pharma executive, what better thing to peddle than something which prevents colds? But who would pay to develop and test that up front?