For the past few months, we have been desperately waiting for some good news about the discovery of a vaccine or a cure that could make the coronavirus go away. However, 2020 just keeps proving to be more disastrous.

While some researchers were hopeful that the vaccine would be developed by the next year or so, the WHO statement has really shattered hopes of people around the world. The organization says that the virus may never go away and we will have to learn to live with it.

Source: Reuters

WHO emergencies director Dr. Mike Ryan denied all the claims of the predictions of the pandemic’s duration in a briefing on Wednesday and said that no one is sure when it will go away.

He said that even if we develop the vaccine, it would take a “massive effort” to permanently flatten the curve.
“It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away,” Dr. Ryan told the virtual press conference from Geneva.”HIV has not gone away – but we have come to terms with the virus.”

Even though researchers have been able to test more than 100 potential vaccines since February, Dr. Ryan believes that just like other illnesses, we might not be able to completely eliminate coronavirus.
However, it is possible to control the pandemic and stay at home as per the orders of the government.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The trajectory is in our hands, and it’s everybody’s business, and we should all contribute to stop this pandemic.”

Dr. Tedros has warned that easing the lockdown should be out of the question right now since there is no right way to do so. “Many countries would like to get out of the different measures,” the WHO boss said. “But our recommendation is still the alert at any country should be at the highest level possible.”

Dr. Ryan laid emphasis on maintaining the lockdowns by saying, “There is some magical thinking going on that lockdowns work perfectly and that unlocking lockdowns will go great. Both are fraught with dangers.”

As of now, 4.3M cases have been reported worldwide with over 300,000 fatalities.