Will Coronavirus Be Around Forever?

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Posted: May 3rd, 2021 at 01:03PM - by Ashlee Arnold

COVID-19 is far from beaten. As the pandemic crosses its second-year mark, nations are working to get the vaccines effectively rolled out. But, simultaneously, researchers continue to find stronger, more contagious enemies in mutated variants from different areas like South Africa, the U.K, and the U.S.

This then raises a great concern that people continue to ask: Will coronavirus stay with us forever?

To be clear, no one knows how the pandemic will play out. Likewise, there are still many important questions that remain unanswered. But to gain a better perspective, let’s weigh in on what health experts are currently saying and find out what we should be doing.

What the Experts are Saying

There are already four endemic coronaviruses in our midst but not at a pandemic level. These viruses have mild symptoms associated with common colds and have been, for the most part, battled by the partial protection naturally carried by the human immune system.

Through partial protection, the immune system gets a head start in fighting endemic coronaviruses – including new variants that naturally evolve. While this might not completely and instantly eradicate the virus, it still conquers it in a way that it doesn’t go beyond being your average sniffles.

A study by Jennie Lavine of Emory University suggests that if SARS-COV-2, also known as COVID-19, behaves like the other coronaviruses, it’s highly likely to become just a mild nuance in the years to come.

However, a report by National Geographic points out that the future of SARS-COV-2 will depend on three factors: how long humans retain immunity, how quickly the virus evolves, and how older populations become immune during the pandemic. And answering all these questions will take time.

Dr. Becky Smith, an infectious disease specialist at Duke Health asserts, "It's safe to say we're not going to eradicate it entirely. Too many people in the world have it. It's too efficient in transmitting."

"It is important to note that viruses can only replicate inside a host cell, and that they acquire mutations during replication," explains Juliet Morrison, assistant professor at the University of California (UC).

Another difficulty faced by health experts is that the virus is zoonotic, which means it can go from animals to humans, back and forth. As such, even if it gets eradicated among humans, animal infection can reintroduce the disease – worse, through an even deadlier variant.

More importantly, newer mutations that continue to emerge prove to be a greater feat. "As newer variants emerge, some may be better at escaping vaccine protection, thereby potentially allowing the virus to replicate in vaccinated persons," adds Morrison.

What it Means for Us

But this is not to say all hope is gone.

CNBC reports that public health officials and infectious disease experts have claimed COVID-19 will become endemic – which means it will be present forever but likely at lower levels, resembling a common cold. In fact, a recent study suggests that the diseases can transition to endemic levels within five to 10 years.

According to Roy Anderson, infectious disease epidemiologist at Imperial College London, "People have got to realize, this is not going to go away. We're going to be able to manage it because of modern medicine and vaccines, but it's not something that will just vanish out of the window."

Dr. John Patton of Indiana University adds, "I don't really see any path by which this virus isn't with us forever and it just becomes an endemic virus, like cold viruses and flu viruses. It will just be with us, and we will have to control it and mitigate worse symptoms."

However, the transition from a pandemic to an endemic level cannot happen overnight. As such, it's crucial for health officials to remain proactive and continuously keep an eye on new variants of the virus so they can work on vaccines that will help fight the diseases — sooner rather than later.

"It is important that we have robust surveillance methods in place in order to detect these variants. [My personal opinion is that] we should be planning for booster shots for at least the next few years," asserts Katherine Borkovich, professor and chair of UC's Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology.

The Best Way Forward

Health experts note that immunity to COVID-19 can be achieved in two ways: through large-scale vaccination or natural immunity.

However, attempting to reach widespread immunity by deliberately getting the majority of the population infected and recovered is problematic and unethical, the World Health Organization (WHO) asserts. Doing so will lead to hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of unnecessary infections and deaths worldwide.

On the other side of the spectrum, health experts posit that tools like vaccines will help minimize the spread and lessen the severity of the diseases. This will help people get back to the new normal faster.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, explains that immunity can be achieved if the vaccination program runs as planned. This is provided that 75%-80% of the national population decides to get inoculated.

Ultimately, experts agree that the potential end to the pandemic is a long way ahead and only time can tell what will happen. It's still a waiting game as experts learn more about how the immune system responds to COVID-19.

In the meantime, let's all do our part in minimizing the spread of the disease and continue practicing the mandated health protocols:

• Avoid close contact with sick people or anyone who shows symptoms.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Cover your mouth and nose, using your elbow when coughing or sneezing.
• Disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly.
• Maintain proper social distancing.
• Stay at home, quarantined, if you’re feeling unwell.
• Wash your hands properly, or use 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
• Wear your mask the right way.

And importantly, get vaccinated when possible. It’s the safest and most effective way to keep you, your family, and vulnerable individuals safe from diseases.

e7 Health offers FDA Authorized COVID-19 PCR testing and COVID-19 antibody testing. Schedule your appointment or contact us today to learn more.

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