COVID-19 could become a routine illness
Almost a year and a half has passed by since the novel coronavirus impacted our lives in the most terrible ways. From the symptoms to long term risks to emerging variants, we have been battling it all.
Even after taking precautionary measures, getting ourselves vaccinated and continuing to wear masks, there seems to be no end to this virus. Why is it so? Scientists and medical professionals are still looking for an answer.
However, many experts and virologists have claimed that while it may be difficult to fully eradicate the SARs-COV-2 virus, with mass vaccination, it can be turned into just another routine illness like common cold or the Flu.
COVID-19 is here to stay, what does it mean?
Earlier in 2020, when people first took notice of COVID-19, they thought it to be just another illness, triggering flu-like symptoms, likely to fade away in a few months or so. Now, almost a year and a half later, the virus is still amongst us, wreaking more havoc than ever.
The emerging deadly variants, rise in the numbers of COVID cases, the unpredictability of the virus, all seem to add to our concerns, making us wonder whether or not we'll ever get to go back to living in a COVID-free world.
While people are still hopeful, scientists are still sceptical and think it’s improbable. As per a survey conducted by Nature, 90% of the researchers out of more than a 100 believed that COVID-19 would become an endemic and will go on to live amongst us in the future. But that does not mean death or never ending suffering. It will all depend on the type of immunity we acquire, as per experts.
Read more: Can you get infected with multiple variants of COVID-19?
Delta variant has increased the risks
Out of all the Variants of Concern (VoC) and Variants of Interest (VoI), Delta variant or B.1.617.2 lineage is the most transmissible and contagious, making it the most concerning variant of all.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Delta variant is highly contagious, more than 2 times as contagious as previous variants. Data also suggests that it might cause more severe illness than previous variants in unvaccinated people.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) also said that the spread of the Delta variant is now being observed in about 130 countries. This only makes things worse and more difficult to get rid of the virus.
Will COVID-19 become similar to the Flu?
While it is almost evident that the coronavirus is here to stay, scientists claim that the virus may become a routine illness like a common cold or a flu in the next coming years. Although it will continue infecting people, but the possibility of severe illnesses and hospitalization may reduce due to an outcome of mass vaccination.
Vaccination is the only way ahead
Whether or not COVID-19 will become a routine disease or not depends on how many and how soon people get themselves vaccinated against the virus.
While natural infection can also provide people with lasting immunity, there is no telling how severe the infection may be, which could sometimes be life-threatening. On the contrary, COVID vaccines are safe and have proved effective up until now. Although breakthrough cases have become a source of concern for many in and around the world, studies suggest that those who are vaccinated are more protected against severe infections and hospitalization as compared to unvaccinated people.
According to the CDC, unvaccinated individuals are 10 times more likely to be hospitalised and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than those fully vaccinated.
Vaccine shortage and slow rollout may pose some challenges
The novel coronavirus has surely wreaked a lot of havoc. The variants have only added more fuel to the fire. The only way to tackle this situation is through mass vaccination. Whether a country is trying to reach COVID herd immunity threshold, which according to many scientists is almost improbable, or is trying to minimize the impact of the virus, vaccination is said to be the most effective means.
But given the unequal distribution of the vaccines and the wide disparity between the rich and the poor, it might be almost difficult to battle the COVID crisis.
Read more: Coronavirus prevention: What can you do to prevent catching COVID-19 after vaccination?
That said, it is important for nations to ensure that every global citizen has access to COVID vaccines and is not deprived of it on the basis of his or her class, caste, gender, race or sex.