Coronavirus may never go away: WHO

[Initech]

The new coronavirus may never go away and populations around the world will have to learn to live with it, the World Health Organization warned Wednesday.

As some countries around the world begin gradually easing lockdown restrictions imposed in a bid to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading, the WHO said it may never be wiped out entirely.

The virus first emerged in Wuhan in China late last year and has since infected more than 4.2 million people and killed nearly 300,000 worldwide.

"We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it," said Michael Ryan, the WHO's emergencies director.

"This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away," he told a virtual press conference in Geneva.

"HIV has not gone away -- but we have come to terms with the virus."
https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-may-never-away-181100789.html

Fuck. This was not the news I wanted to hear.

[2naSalit]

1. I was wondering when this would come out.

I have suspected for a few weeks now that we may not see the end of this virus.

[DrToast]

2. I don't think it's as dire as it sounds

It’s just saying it may not be something we eradicate, like we did with Smallpox. It doesn’t mean there won’t be vaccines, treatments and/or a cure.

[Initech]

3. COVID might go away.

But that doesn't mean we'll see another coronavirus-related disease in the future. I'm hoping that we'll find a vaccine or cure that will eliminate COVID.

[DrToast]

4. Even with a vaccine/cure it may not go away

We have a measles vaccine, but we still have measles.

That’s what WHO is suggesting. It’s very difficult to completely eradicate a virus from the globe.

[Caliman73]

6. Measles was eradicated in the US in 2000.

It was essentially gone, but with the emergence of anti-vaccination and travelers from countries that have not been able to knock it down, it has come back. Measles is a disease that we can eliminate like smallpox.

COVID-19 because it is so easily spread, may be more difficult. The reality is that we just don't know enough to say at this time. I am not sure why the WHO is coming out with this statement right now. I am not one for conspiracies, but I smell pressure from Trump for funding, pushing the, "We have to live with it" theme to bolster Trump's desire to force people back to work. I guarantee he is going to praise the WHO or at least talk about how "The World Health Organization knows that we have to move on with life and get back to work even if the virus won't go away, even though it totally is going away because I am so great".

[DrToast]

7. WHO is not a US organziation

They are talking about the globe when they say it may not be eradicated.

Measles is a disease that we can eliminate like smallpox.

COVID-19 because it is so easily spread, may be more difficult.

Oh no, no. Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence. The R0 for measles is 15. COVID-19 is probably somewhere between 2 and 5.

Eliminating any virus is extremely difficult. There was such an effort for Smallpox because it has such a high fatality rate. It is unclear if there will be the will to conduct such an effort for COVID-19. It will likely bounce around in underdeveloped parts of the world forever.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Thanks you...I need realistic info so I mentally can prepare

for such outcomes. I heard this same last week and it does make sense when you think about it for 30 seconds.

Bill Gates said that with a vaccine that is 90% effective, you would only need to vaccinate 80% of the world population (he did the math). We don't know anything about this virus yet. We are making educated guesses. If we get various drugs to treat it and at early stages that will be our first major success, like the drug cocktail for HIV patients. This, along with taking precautions (masks, distancing) will be a part of our lives for a long time so get used to it and accept it, stop fighting the inevitable.

[marybourg]

8. The virus that caused the Spanish Flu, H1N1, is still with us, but

it’s no longer the scourge it was.

[DrToast]

9. Exactly

WHO isn't saying that it's going to continue to be like things are today. But even after we get a vaccine, COVID-19 will likely still be in places around the globe.

[Initech]

10. I certainly hope that's the case!