Why was SARS-CoV-1 so much easier to control than SARS-CoV-2? What differentiates the two?

Question

Why was SARS-CoV-1 so much easier to control than SARS-CoV-2? What differentiates the two?

In: Biology

Answer 1

I’m going off memory here:

Viruses need something to latch on to, receptors on cells, before it can do what viruses do , infect cells, replicate, and spread.

One of the differences that SARS-CoV-2 has over -1 is that the receptors that it uses are more plentiful, found all over the respiratory system, and else where, instead of -1 which was primary in the lungs.

If I recall correctly, this fact also led to there being less asymptomatic (cases without symptoms) cases with -1 so it was somewhat easier to track and control.