When Will the End of COVID-19 Come?..."Already in the Final Stage" vs "It Will Last 3 More Years" Debate

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 5th (local time) that debates continue over the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

In the U.S., the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 40 million earlier this month, the highest in the world.

Despite more than half of the population being fully vaccinated, the country is facing a fourth resurgence due to the sudden spread of the Delta variant.

Those with an optimistic view argue that the pandemic has entered its final phase.

Monica Gandhi, a professor at the California State University in San Francisco, said, "Starting from mid to late September, the number of confirmed cases will begin to drop sharply," adding, "This virus will be a concern for medical professors, but not for public health."

She based this diagnosis on past respiratory viruses that ended as immunity was formed through vaccination and natural exposure.

In particular, although the virus continues to mutate to evade human immunity, her analysis is that over time, it pays the price of weakening itself.

In this regard, Professor Gandhi pointed out that the Delta variant, which struck the U.S. this summer, marked the peak of COVID-19's power.

However, there are also considerable opposing views.

Ezekiel Emanuel, a professor at Pennsylvania State University, said, "We are in an uncertain era," and "Humanity is vulnerable to uncertainty."

He added, "It is not easy to tell people it will take another 2 to 3 years," and "With about 1,000 deaths per day and many children hospitalized, this is not a return to normal."

Especially considering the spread of the Delta variant and ongoing vaccine refusal, Professor Emanuel predicted that the earliest Americans can prepare for a return to normal life is spring 2022, and it could be much later than that.

However, there is generally a consensus that the pandemic will come to an end.

WP explained that many epidemics have ended by becoming endemic, meaning the disease ceases to be an emergency and instead appears in daily life like the flu or common cold.

Some have already diagnosed that the emergency phase of COVID-19 has passed.

Jay Bhattacharya, a professor at Stanford University, said, "The emergency of this disease is over. COVID-19 should be treated as one of 200 diseases," and "The momentum for this return to normal came from vaccines."

He praised the vaccines for achieving "great results" by reducing deaths and hospitalizations among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying conditions, adding, "I believe we have reached the endpoint of the pandemic."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.