Pandemic's petering off: Hoping for a happily ever after

Once a huge proportion of the population is exposed, the virus stops spreading. The human immune system, too, upgrades itself

- Dr Hemant Thacker

The horror story which began two years ago, which frightened, locked, maimed, and even killed us, is now petering off, and world over, everyone is hoping for a happy ending.

The question is will it disappear or will it get flatter only to deceive? Let’s look at the scenario.

The Omicron variant with its electric transmissibility has reached all the continents after bursting on the scene in South Africa. By the end of March, one assumes that more than fifty percent of the world would have been exposed to the virus. In addition, with a decline in the global infection detection rate, it is assumed that the asymptotic Omicron is probably not counted. This, along with increasing vaccination rates, would collate into significant herd immunity for the moment and fend of new infections. Immunity, whether vaccine-derived or infection attained, is going to wane with time thus allowing the constant rumbles of transmission to appear and disappear according to seasonality. This is a function of endemicity wherein man and virus cohabit without much morbidity and mortality.