Illustration: COVID-19. (Image via Pixabay)

WHO: Normal life pre-COVID will start in 2022

When the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemics swept the world in late 2019, people are forced to embrace the "new normal" lifestyle. When will we be able to return? Dr. Soumya Swaminathan predicted that in 2022, then people can all return to their daily normal before COVID-19 was even a thing.

Why two years from now? Explaining during a virtual teleconference from Geneva, Switzerland, the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) projected that people will already have had access to vaccine and medicine treating COVID-19. Therefore, while the researchers are struggling to formulate the COVID-19 vaccine, we can help by adhering to COVID-19 protocols such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, staying at home, and keeping personal hygiene at all times.

Dr. Swaminathan calculated that it would take at least 60 - 70 percent population for herd immunity to show its effect. Regarding the efficiency of the vaccine, Dr. Swaminathan could not tell any further. When the vaccine has been distributed, Dr. Swaminathan hoped COVID-19 will be like other "seasonal diseases".

Recently, Regional Director for Europe at the WHO, Hans Kluge, warned the European Union (EU) about the potential spike in the COVID-19 mortality rate in the region in October - November. Moreover, Kluge also pointed out that COVID-19 has been disrupting the other 68% of healthcare for non-contagious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.

Source: https://bit.ly/3mquLgW