Healthcare

‘We’ve Got A Long Way To Go’: Top Infectious Disease Experts Say Virus Won’t Go Away Soon

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Two infectious disease experts warned last week that coronavirus is not going away anytime soon and that a vaccine will not expedite a return to the pre-virus days.

The two experts spoke Thursday at a virtual event hosted by CNBC. They both agreed that there is a long way to go before the coronavirus threat passes and normalcy returns, CNBC reported.

“Even with a vaccine, there is no going back to normal anytime soon,” said former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thomas Frieden, according to CNBC. “Prepare for at least eight to 12 months of this situation.”

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota added: “The pain, suffering, death and economic pain we’ve had to date — that’s 7% to 9% of the U.S. population. We’ve got a long way to go.”

President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in March as coronavirus spread rapidly around the world. The increase of new cases in the U.S. has slowed after a recent surge, according to the CDC.

A vaccine developed by American pharmaceutical company Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases entered large-scale, phase 3 trials Monday, according to CNN. Phase 3 trials are one of the final speed bumps before a drug is approved.

However, a vaccine, which is expected to be available by 2021, will not solve the pandemic overnight, according to Frieden, CNBC reported.

“In the U.S. we still have hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations from flu each year with vaccines, and it looks more likely than not that this virus keeps circulating even with a vaccine,” Frieden said.

Another potential issue is that individuals who are vaccinated for viruses similar to coronavirus do not become immune, Osterholm said, according to CNBC. Annual revaccination will be required.

Viruses such as MERS and SARS are “notoriously famous for not granting durable immunity,” said Osterholm.

Both experts also warned against becoming too reliant on face masks, saying there is not enough evidence to suggest they prevent the spread of coronavirus, according to CNBC. CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield called on Americans to all wear face coverings in a July 14 press release.

“We don’t want people to assume masks will make the difference,” Osterholm said, noting how places that mandate mask wearing like Hong Kong are still battling surges in cases, CNBC reported.