We humans are good at creating new viruses by accident—whether it’s a new flu virus concocted on a pig farm, or HIV evolving from the viruses of butchered chimpanzees. What we’re not so good at is getting rid of viruses. Despite all the vaccines, antiviral drugs, and public health strategies at our disposal, viruses still manage to escape annihilation. The best we can typically manage is to reduce the harm viruses cause.
