Covid-19 is expected to be with us forever, according to Dr. Richard Webby, a New Zealand expert on infectious diseases.
Although the virus may not be a common topic now, it still affects over 1,500 people weekly in New Zealand, with three to four daily deaths. Globally, Covid-19 is spreading in 84 countries, and even at the recent Olympic Games, many athletes caught the virus.
The World Health Organisation is concerned about new, potentially dangerous variants, and warns that vaccination rates are decreasing worldwide. Dr. Webby, who works at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the U.S., explained that Covid-19 has become endemic, meaning it’s here to stay. He noted that while population immunity has increased since the virus first appeared, Covid-19 still poses a significant threat, particularly to older people and those with health issues.
Interestingly, Covid-19 doesn’t follow a typical pattern of peaking in winter, like the flu. Instead, it continues to cause outbreaks even during summer. Dr. Webby suggests we may need to get used to dealing with this virus year-round.
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