In total, more than 400 million people worldwide have contracted COVID-19 and more than 5.8 million have died. In the United States, nearly 78 million cases and more than 900,000 deaths have been confirmed since the beginning of the pandemic. According to reports, the majority of coronavirus deaths have occurred in the United States.
These figures are all the more alarming in light of the end-of-December 2021 prediction that the USA might experience the deadliest wave of infections in February 2022. It was planned to be connected to the virus’s new variant, Omikron, and its heightened contagiousness. All signs point to the disease’s peak occurring in January, which is earlier than scientists had anticipated. The exact number of COVID-19 cases reported in the US was 1,820,549 on Monday, January 3 of this year.
The good news is that the number of people infected appears to be declining, both in the United States and in other countries around the world. As a result, there are more and more claims that the coronavirus pandemic will be over by the end of 2022. Is this even possible? Will a virus that has already killed so many people simply vanish?
Will The Threat Posed By The Coronavirus Ever End?
It is unknown, which is an obvious and unsatisfactory response to this question. It’s hard to say whether COVID-19 will „withdraw” or keep killing. On the one hand, the virus may simply fade away with time, as evidenced by the history of numerous deadly epidemics that raged throughout the world many years ago. Perhaps in the future, more advanced medications and vaccines will aid in its eradication.
Many virologists believe that over the years of fighting the coronavirus, most of us will become ill with some variant of it, and that the virus will thus lead to the development of collective immunity. The pathogen will then become relatively harmless and will cause seasonal epidemics, such as in spring and autumn.
There are at least a few possible COVID-19 scenarios, all of which are based on conjectures and predictions.
Top 3 Scenarios
- The best-case scenario: The virus will disappear by itself as a result of the forces of nature or by scientific discoveries. This is not out of the question, but it seems unlikely at the moment.
- The worst-case scenario: As it stands, the pandemic will cause more mass fatalities and disrupt social and economic life throughout the world.
- The end of an endemic species scenario: where the pandemic will end. Immunizations, infections that boost population immunity, hygienic awareness, or reducing contact can all weaken the virus. There will be a decrease in illnesses, fatalities, and infection cases. However, COVID-19 won’t go away and will continue to cause seasonal illnesses, including a severe form of the illness, in some areas. It will always be a component of our identity.
The End Of The Pandemic In Sight?
The WHO’s Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Hans Kluge, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely nearing its end. How can we draw this conclusion? It is anticipated that the widespread illnesses and vaccinations that have occurred thus far will cause the population to become immune. People will therefore be less likely to become ill, visit hospitals, and ultimately cause less fatalities.
In countries with effective vaccination programs, most new infections are secondary. This implies that the immune system of those who have experienced them is already capable of mounting a defense. As a result, they do not progress to the disease’s most severe forms. Similar circumstances exist in nations where only a portion of the populace has received vaccinations, as most of the people there have already managed to contract the disease and develop immunity (some of them, mainly unvaccinated, died as a result of complications).
The pandemic is expected to subside towards the end of 2022, when the virus will likely cause less mortality. The assumption that the virus will soon cease to be a threat must therefore be taken with a grain of salt – we cannot predict what new COVID-19 variants will emerge in the near future.
Pfizer Vaccines President Nanette Cocero believes the virus will become endemic by 2024. This, however, can occur at different times in different communities. To expedite this process, we must adhere to the sanitary regime’s rules. Vaccinations and good hygiene are currently the most effective ways of combating the coronavirus (washing hands, wearing masks, isolation).
As a result, it appears that the „return to normalcy” anticipated by many may never look the same as it did before March 2020, when the pandemic peaked. We may have to accept a new normal: living in the shadow of a virus that, even if it no longer poses a threat, will remain a part of our daily lives.
