Virus mutations

[Saynotopineappleonpizza2021]

A general question really - do viruses mutate by accident or is it more they do it in an intelligent way? So do they know what's most effective?

Hope that makes sense - Google hasn't given me the answer but that could be me wording it badly!

random. Most mutations are unimportant or even damaging to the virus.

coronaviridae have a proof-reading system so their mutation rate is relatively low

It happens by accident. Then if a particular mutation favours the survival of the virus, that variant will become more common and the other less successful mutations be eliminated. The same happens to all other living creatures - humans too, but as we live much longer than viruses and reproduce far less often, it takes generations for the changes in DNA to become obvious.

Thank you, that was what I thought but the way some posters have been talking lately its been implying that it's a conscious choice to mutate in a certain way

Yes I know what you mean - you sometimes see the virus being described as 'smart' or similar. I guess what it means is that the general way that viruses work is a clever thing iyswim.

Yes exactly - thank you for clarifying I was actually right in my thinking