I don't believe "its hopeless" is a good tactic.. Since nothing has been found to combat them.. thats what it seems your saying.. How do PLANTS deal with viruses?.. Surely SOME plant has outwitted them?..
I’m not saying that it’s hopeless. I’m just noting the particular challenge that creating an effective antiviral faces. It’s difficult to “kill” something that is not alive in any classical sense, until it coopts a cell in order to reproduce.
The plant strategy for dealing with disease is to cut off food and water to the effected area and let it die and grow around it. Not a viable strategy for an animal. That is like saying “My foot has a fungus” and the Dr. says “cut off your foot”.