> So even if we had a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, would it lose its' potency after a year, and people need annual booster shots? Or would the virus mutate so that the specific vaccine no longer works?
The answer is probably yes to both questions.
RNA viruses, like influenza, HIV or coronaviruses do mutate a lot. This is what makes them hard to eradicate, plus in the case of influenza at least we've got an endless reservoir from wild animals.
But a lot of people are already vaccinated for influenza every season and the availability of a vaccine that works for 6 months would make this very manageable, even for people that forget or refuse to vaccinate, due to herd immunity.
The answer is probably yes to both questions.
RNA viruses, like influenza, HIV or coronaviruses do mutate a lot. This is what makes them hard to eradicate, plus in the case of influenza at least we've got an endless reservoir from wild animals.
But a lot of people are already vaccinated for influenza every season and the availability of a vaccine that works for 6 months would make this very manageable, even for people that forget or refuse to vaccinate, due to herd immunity.