Coronavirus uses sugars to trick its way into the human body like a "wolf in sheep's clothing", according to new research. Scientists at the University of Southampton have created a model of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes Covid-19 which reveals how it disguises itself to enter human cells undetected.
But they found that the virus is not as heavily protected as some others such as HIV. The team, led by Professor Max Crispin, say the model will provide "crucial and encouraging" information for scientists creating a vaccine.
Prof Crispin explained that the Sars-CoV-2 virus has a large number of spikes sticking out of its surface which it uses to attach to and enter cells in the human body.