Covid-19 will continue but the pandemic will soon end, says Lancet study

A study published by The Lancet has said that ‘after the Omicron wave, Covid-19 will return but the pandemic will not’

The study stated that Covid-19 will become another recurrent disease that health systems and societies will have to manage. The era of extraordinary measures by governments and societies to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission will be over, it said.

According to the study, the transmission of the virus will continue. It stated: "Immunity, whether infection or vaccination derived, will wane, creating opportunities for continued SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The study has also warned that given seasonality, countries should expect increased potential transmission in winter months.

However, the study noted that the impact of the virus will be less. It said, "The impacts of future SARS-CoV-2 transmission on health, however, will be less because of broad previous exposure to the virus, regularly adapted vaccines to new antigens or variants, the advent of antivirals, and the knowledge that the vulnerable can protect themselves during future waves when needed by using high-quality masks and physical distancing."

"In the era of omicron, Covid-19 control strategies need to be reset. Given the speed and intensity of the omicron wave, efforts to contact trace seem to be futile," it said.

The study underscored the efforts taken by governments and societies worldwide to adapt to the pandemic and how it has changed and saved lives. It said, "The extraordinary societal efforts over the past two years to respond to a new pathogen have changed how individuals live their lives. Policy responses have been developed in governments around the world. These efforts have saved countless lives globally,"

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