WHO warns: Covid transitioning to endemic form does not mean it's no longer dangerous

(Patria) - The mere fact that the coronavirus pandemic will eventually transition to an endemic stage does not mean the virus will no longer be dangerous, warned the Director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme on Tuesday.

“People contrast pandemics with endemicity, but endemic malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people, HIV is endemic, violence in our cities is endemic,” said Michael Ryan at a virtual panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

“Endemic in itself does not mean it is good, endemic just means it is here forever,” Ryan emphasized, Hina reports.

The emergence of Omicron, which is much more contagious than other variants of the coronavirus, but causes much milder symptoms in vaccinated individuals, has sparked a debate about the pandemic, declared in early 2020, transitioning to a certain endemic form. This debate generally implies that it is much less dangerous.

“We will not get rid of the virus this year. We may never eradicate the virus. Viruses that cause pandemics can easily become part of the ecosystem. We can end the public health crisis of international concern (WHO's highest alert level),” the official warned, adding that we need to “reach the lowest possible incidence rate with maximum vaccination so that no one has to die.”

Ryan also said that in the future, three to four doses may become common to prevent severe forms of coronavirus.

Except for Johnson & Johnson, all other vaccines are recommended to be given in two doses, and a third, so-called booster dose, has been widely recommended since Omicron spread worldwide.

“We will no longer call these doses boosters. We will simply consider three or four doses necessary to acquire lasting and strong immunity that protects you from hospitalization and death in the long term,” Ryan stated.