While the first deconfinement measures are gradually appearing in several countries, governments are still very cautious in relaxing their policy to fight the pandemic. Despite the promising prospects for treatments and vaccines, several WHO experts have expressed the likelihood, not insignificant, that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic and will never really go away.
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, could become endemic like HIV, said the World Health Organization on Wednesday, warning against any attempt to predict how long it would continue to circulate and calling to a massive effort to counter it.
” It is important to put this on the table: this virus may just become another endemic virus in our communities, and it may never go away. I think it is important that we are realistic and I don’t think anyone can predict when this disease will go away. I think there are no promises in this area and there are no dates. This disease can settle in a very long time, or maybe not Says Mike Ryan, a WHO emergency specialist.
Vaccine: it may not lead to the complete disappearance of the coronavirus
However, he says the world has some control over how he copes with the disease, although it will still require massive effort if a vaccine is found – a prospect he described as very uncertain. More than 100 potential vaccines are under development, including several in clinical trials, but experts have pointed out the difficulties of finding effective vaccines against coronaviruses.
Ryan notes that there are vaccines for other diseases, like measles, that have not been eliminated. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says: ” The trajectory is in our hands, and it is everyone’s business, and we must all help to stop this pandemic ” Ryan adds that “very important control” of the virus is necessary in order to reduce the risk assessment, which he says remains important at “national, regional and global” levels.
On the same topic: Like the flu virus and other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 could become seasonal
Necessary precautions regarding deconfinement measures
Governments around the world are grappling with the question of how to revive their economy while containing the virus, which has infected nearly 4.3 million people, according to a Reuters report, and has killed more than 291,000 people. The European Union lobbied Wednesday for a gradual reopening of the borders within the bloc which have been closed by the pandemic, saying that it was not too late to save part of the summer tourist season while ensuring security. people.
But public health experts argue that extreme caution is necessary to avoid further epidemics. Ryan explains that opening land borders is less risky than facilitating air transportation, which was a “different challenge”.
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