Introducing Niamh Middleton

Perhaps not, but that’s closer to the intended meaning than your own interpretation.

Genes, being non-sentient, are neither ‘selfish’ nor ‘altruistic’. But the nature of reproductive strategies is such that the genes that perpetuate are those that most effectively cause themselves and their copies to be duplicated, regardless of how fit individuals are or how ‘successful’ their lives. Effective spreading can be achieved by causing altruism/co-operation (but only with organisms that share the same genes), but also via parasitism, piggybacking, or turning organisms into short-lived brainless spore-factories. The Coronavirus genes are currently demonstrating one strategy, but they’re hardly being altruistic or contributing to successful lives.