The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the main questions in this epidemiological situation marked by COVID-19. Many experts have predicted the arrival of the end of the pandemic, as we know it, for this 2022.
However, from the WHO they foresee that the coronavirus will continue with its evolution, in such a way that they consider new variants are likely to appear, but that they will not require booster vaccinations except for the vulnerable population. The loss of strength of the disease will be marked by the effectiveness of the vaccine and by the immunity generated after infection by COVID-19.
This was explained by the Secretary General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom. “The disease will be less severedue to the greater immunity resulting from vaccination”. This is one of the three scenarios predicted by the organism itself. second of them is the most optimistic, and in which new vaccines would not be necessary due to a lower occurrence of variants. It would mean the passage of the coronavirus towards an endemic disease, in which can be controlled and managed what to do with others, like the gripe.
The last scenario, the most pessimistic, does not rule out the possibility that new “more virulent and transmissible” variants of the coronavirus may appear, and that it would be a setback in the midst of the fight against the disease. “It would create a comparable situation, since in 2020, people were still very vulnerable and there were severe cases of the disease,” the agency’s director of epidemic and pandemic diseases, Sylvie Briand, said in February.
Many countries have opted to relax restrictions. In Europe, Denmark was the first country to eliminate them. Since the end of January, masks are no longer worn indoors. In addition, the Danish government also lifted the restrictions imposed on sectors such as the restoration, cultural and social life, such as the reopening of nightclubs. In Spain, for example, the mask ceased to be mandatory outdoors in February and 100% of the capacity returned to sporting events.
In addition, Congress has approved a motion urging the Government to withdraw the mandatory use of a mask indoors, although this will not enter into force until the scientific community and health experts give the go-ahead. A proposal that comes after the approval of the new Strategy for Control and Prevention of COVID-19.
“The pandemic is not over”
Last week, Adhanom himself warned those countries that have relaxed restrictions and where there has been an increase in COVID-19 infections. “We all want to put the pandemic behind us. No matter how much we wish for it, it’s not over yet“, argument.
He also mentioned the fundamental element for us to end a pandemic that began two years ago, and it is none other than vaccination. “Until we achieve a high vaccination rate in all countriesthe risk of an increase in infections will still remain, with the possibility of new variants emerging.
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