WASHINGTON (AP) – Will the coronavirus ever go away?
Nobody knows for sure. Scientists think that the virus that causes COVID-19 may remain with us for decades or more, but that does not mean that it will continue to pose the same threat.
The virus emerged in late 2019 and it is difficult to predict how it will behave in the long term. But many experts believe that the disease is likely to end up going from a crisis to a nuisance like a common cold.
This would happen as people acquire immunity over time, whether through infection or vaccination. Other viruses followed a similar path.
The 1918 flu pandemic may also offer clues as to the course of COVID-19.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a third of the world’s population has been infected with the virus, which originated in birds. Eventually, after the infected people died or developed immunity, the virus stopped spreading quickly. He later mutated to a less virulent form, which experts say continues to circulate seasonally.
However, the emergence of new variants of COVID-19 may complicate the picture if future mutations of the virus cause more serious illnesses or prevent vaccines.
It is unlikely that the virus will ever be completely eliminated, given the possibility that people will be infected again after they have already become ill or vaccinated.
The only virus that has been eradicated from the human population is smallpox. This is because people develop long-lasting immunity to this virus after becoming sick or vaccinated.
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The AP is answering your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Send them to: [email protected].
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