Covid-19 infections will continue, but the end of the pandemic is near, a study published by The Lancet has said, stating that “after the Omicron wave, Covid-19 will return but the pandemic will not.”
“Covid-19 will become another recurrent disease that health systems and societies will have to manage. The era of extraordinary measures by governments and societies to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission will be over,” the study stated.
Elaborating that the transmission of the virus will continue, the study said, “Immunity, whether infection or vaccination derived, will wane, creating opportunities for continued SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Given seasonality, countries should expect increased potential transmission in winter months.”
However, the study noted that the impact of the virus will be less. It said, “The impacts of future SARS-CoV-2 transmission on health, however, will be less because of broad previous exposure to the virus, regularly adapted vaccines to new antigens or variants, the advent of antivirals, and the knowledge that the vulnerable can protect themselves during future waves when needed by using high-quality masks and physical distancing.”
The study noted, “The latest omicron peaks are expected to come in the countries where the Omicron wave has not yet started, such as in eastern Europe and southeast Asia. Actions to increase SARS-CoV-2 testing, for example, are likely to increase disruption by having more individuals excluded from work or school, but are unlikely to impact the course of the omicron wave.”
“In the era of omicron, Covid-19 control strategies need to be reset. Given the speed and intensity of the omicron wave, efforts to contact trace seem to be futile,” it said.
The study underscored the efforts taken by governments and societies worldwide to adapt to the pandemic and how it has changed and saved lives. It said, “The extraordinary societal efforts over the past two years to respond to a new pathogen have changed how individuals live their lives. Policy responses have been developed in governments around the world. These efforts have saved countless lives globally,”
