We are halfway through 2022, and the pandemic is still present in the background. Therefore, in 2023, we need to understand whether this deadly virus will feature in the rear-view mirror or will it keep on disrupting our lives. It is known that COVID is an endemic and will circulate and keep evolving for a long time.
The only saving grace here is the vaccine; people are still not opting for it in certain parts of the country. According to MyBiosource.com, Americans believe that people who aren’t vaccinated should get around $182 getting vaccinated. Different states have different estimates. For Hawaii, it’s $146, and for Maine, it’s $157.
The reasons for comfort in the year 2023
The recent Omicron outbreak can bring about a certain sense of comfort. And as it gets spread easily, the effects on the health are much less compared to the earlier versions. It tends to support the age-old theory that the pathogens evolve to become lethal over a span of time. But today, this theory got debunked. It is a random walk. A look at the brief history of covid elaborates that the Delta and the Alpha variant were contagious in comparison to the virus strain in Wuhan. That aside, the influenza pandemic’s second wave in 1918 was more severe than the first. Therefore, the fact the covid virus might be somewhere in the background is evident.
That aside, there is also a prevalent notion, that if Omicron infects you, it will provide you security against other variants. That is certainly not the situation. Today, we know that the virus evolution hasn’t moved the linear path from the Alpha to the Omicron. That aside, while the Beta, Alpha, and the Delta got related, you will find that the Omicron variant has evolved tremendously by itself. It is the reason why people who got infected by Delta didn’t have the immunity that Omicron gave.
One can say that such comforts are highly illusory. But the, advanced medical technology and the know-how needed to be a good source of comfort. So far, the vaccines have proven to be highly useful. But on the other hand, the brand-new treatments have come up, like Merck’s molnupiravir and Pfizer pill. All these treatments have proven to work remarkably and have proved to be helpful.
The ongoing concerns about the pandemic
One of the reasons of the risk management concerns is that today we are in the earlier phase of the new ailment. And even though the virus has the chance to mutate to a highly transmissible variant and evade the immune system, it has scopes to be more lethal. The other reason for the problem is the Long Covid. Many people might think that getting infected by Omicron can prove to be a mild ailment for most, but that’s not the truth for all. Also, the researchers reported the mysterious list of the long covid symptoms to affect one out of four adults. It also affects one out of seven children.
The other cause of concern is that a considerable section of the world is yet to take the vaccine. Several people have been affected by the pandemic, and there is a good chance of the pandemic to strike back.
The predictions for the pandemic in 2023
Here are some of the predictions for the pandemic in 2023:
- Endemic – The pandemic is here to stay around the globe.
- The continuous death toll – Similar to the flu, the virus might take the lives of a few. It will affect the infirm and the elderly, and many others yearly.
- The annual boosters – The medical community will come up with the boosters and annual vaccination so that there is maximum immunity.
- The poor countries – All the populations in the poor countries will keep suffering from the added ailment burden with high-end healthcare access, which will be a huge reservoir for new variants to emerge.
- The new variants – The occasionally nastier and the new variants of the pandemic will keep on coming. It can result in mass misery and total business disruptions. Perhaps the new treatments and the vaccinations will secure other countries. Having said that, the virus will lead to other demands from the medical communities across the globe.
- The changes in the cities – A few of the cultural practices that people have adopted for coping up with the pandemic will remain, for instance, the work from home. It will greatly impact the public transport, the city design, organizational leadership, and the commercial property.
Finally, one has to keep the focus on returning to normal life. There are scopes that eventually, life will get back to the ordinary course, perhaps much similar to what it used to be when there was no pandemic. However, it will be essential to keep following the safety protocols.