The World Health Organization has warned that Coronavirus might stick around for a while or it might end up being an endemic like HIV.
During an online briefing, the WHO argued that governments should put massive efforts to counter the virus other than trying to figure out when it is going to last.
“It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away, “WHO emergencies expert Mike Ryan said during the brief.
“I think it is important we are realistic and I don’t think anyone can predict when this disease will disappear. I think there are no promises in this and there are no dates. This disease may settle into a long problem or it may not be,” he added.
The WHO expert, however, commended the massive efforts that have so far been put in finding the vaccine and also those put in combating the spread of the virus. He described the prospect of finding a vaccine as a massive “moonshot”.
WHO says more than 100 vaccines are currently being developed and some already in clinical trials but none has proven to be effective against the coronavirus.
According to Mark Ryan, the virus needs a very significant control so as to lower its assessment risk a situation he said is still high at the national, regional, and global levels.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus argued that the trajectory is in everyone’s hands and it is everybody’s business and we should all contribute to stopping this pandemic.
So far, Covid-19 has infected up to 4.3 million people globally and led to the death of 291, 000 people. Governments are already easing their restrictions to save their economies while thinking of ways to contain the spread of the virus.
WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove warned that even as countries continue to ease lockdowns, the governments should keep in mind that the virus will be around for a while.