How much longer do we have to live with the coronavirus? |

Source: Reuters

Translation: Innovator

USA“Living with COVID-19: Where can the pandemic go?” published an article entitled The article states that coronavirus As the third winter of the pandemic approaches, scientists are urging desperate governments and populations to prepare for new waves. Chris Murray, head of Washington University’s Institute for Health Indicators and Evaluation, an independent modeling group, told Reuters that next winter, not only USAup to one million people can get infected every day in

The article states that during the colder months, people will spend more time indoors and are less likely to wear masks. social distance will not wait. With this in mind, scientists predict that there will be several waves of infection when the weather cools down.

But experts do not believe that the number of deaths and hospitalizations from the virus will increase at a high rate. The reason is vaccination measures, the fact that the new variants of the virus are not very lethal, and at the same time, the level of treatment against the corona virus is strengthening.

According to Chris Murray, those most at risk are those who have never been infected with the virus: “But there is no one left who is not infected with the virus.”

“Reuters” writes that when you hear these predictions, you inevitably think: when will the world get rid of the severe, emergency phase of the COVID infection? I wonder when this virus will become an endemic disease that only worsens the epidemiological situation from season to season?

The article mentions that many experts thought that the transition to such a stage would begin at the beginning of 2022: “However, a highly mutated omicron variant of the coronavirus appeared and expectations were shattered. Potential threats still remain. It is not known whether new variants will emerge that will surpass the currently dominant subspecies of Omicron.

The World Health Organization believes that the worst-case scenario would be the emergence of virus variants capable of more easily evading immunity and causing more severe disease. The agency’s report, based on a model from Imperial College London, emphasizes that all scenarios for the new variants point to larger waves of epidemics in the future.

Most of the experts who spoke to “Reuters” said that it has become more difficult to make predictions about COVID-19. They explained this by the fact that many people prefer tests conducted at home, do not report their results to official health institutions, and in the end, the real situation remains hidden from the state.

“Reuters” emphasizes that the subtype of omicron, which is currently common in many parts of the world – BA.5, is highly infectious: “This means that patients hospitalized with other diagnoses can also quickly become infected with COVID.

One important point that makes it difficult for scientists to predict is that it is not known whether vaccine combinations, booster doses, as well as acquired immunity from previous infections will protect people in the coming months, and it is not clear how effective booster dose campaigns will be.

Experts are also closely monitoring the situation in Australia. In this country, the seasonal flu, together with the COVID infection, has caused the burden of hospitals. Scientists fear that Western nations may encounter the pattern in Australia after several quiet flu seasons.

The World Health Organization states that every country should provide everything from vaccines to tests, social It should prepare for new waves by using all the measures in the arsenal, taking advantage of the means of protection, from distance restrictions to the conditions of wearing a mask.”

“Reuters” cites the statement of Sharon Alroy-Price, head of the Public Health Service of the Ministry of Health of Israel. Sharon Alroy-Pryce said that the Israeli government recently the country’s international weather suspended the requirement for travelers to undergo a COVID test at its port: “However, if the country faces a large wave of infections, it is ready to resume this practice within a few days.” When the wave of infection comes, we have to wear a mask and get tested. This is a life with COVID.”