A senior CSIRO official says signs show COVID-19 does not mutate as quickly as the flu, in an encouraging sign for vaccine developers.

Scientists around the world, including CSIRO researchers, are collaborating in the race to find a vaccine.

Director of Health and Biosecurity at CSIRO, Rob Grenfell, says working out whether the virus mutates quickly is a key step in the path to an effective immunisation.

“What’s important is if the virus decides to change,” he told Ross and Russel.

“We all know the flu changes every year so we have to make a new vaccine every year for that.

“It appears the coronavirus isn’t as cunning.

“It’s not changing or pivoting in the way the flu … does every year.”

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