Despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the pandemic’s end might just be getting closer than many people think.
Millions of people have fallen victim to the virus in the last two years, but normal life may be on its way back.
That is according to World Health Organisation advisor Dr. Vicente Soriano, who explained his thinking to El Mundo.
“Partial social immunity, due to people having been vaccinated and others who have beaten the virus naturally” will help for the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic to be put behind us, explaining that this is why omicron is “less serious” while being more transmissible.
“By Easter, this will be over. The first antivirals have been approved, and more are going to appear in the next few months. So if people test positive on an antigen test, they can take the pills.”
The treatment of antivirals will last for five days, and Dr. Soriano explained that “people won’t become seriously ill, instead just having the virus behave like season viruses”.
He did, though, offer something of a warning around the public perception of vaccinations.
“You can’t always recommend another booster dose,” Dr. Soriano said. “Your citizens will start to think that you’ve run out of weapons.
“The immunity offered by vaccines is temporarily effective, and the others work very well.”