Preventing Covid59
2021
SARS-CoV-2 is the third betacoronavirus to enter the human population in the
past 20 years, revealing a concerning pattern. Clearly, preventing a future
pandemic from such viruses is a critical priority. Previous studies have shown
that shRNAs can be powerful suppressors of RNA viruses in transgenic animals
and substantially reduce transmission. Thus, we propose the introduction of
anti-betacoronavirus shRNAs using CRISPR/CAS9 gene drive into the horseshoe bat
population, the natural reservoir of those viruses, to combat this pandemic
threat at its source. Importantly, our approach is not expected to create any
harm to bats and can benefit other animals in the ecosystem that contract
betacoronaviruses from bats. We map the ethical and the technical aspects and
suggest guidelines for moving forward with this proposal.
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