Genetic mutations aren’t as scary as they sound. With RNA viruses, like the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19, they’re happening constantly — basically every time it replicates. But not all mutations stick, and not all the ones that stick are bad. In fact, mutations are actually necessary for tracking and containing COVID-19. Here’s how viruses mutate and why you shouldn’t be worried when you hear about them.

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How Viruses Like The Coronavirus Mutate