• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

It’s a big mistake to think pandemic is over, despite recent news

Towleroad March 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

Published by
DPA
497901 origin 1
Ireland, which previously had some of the strictest coronavirus measures in Europe, is now among the latest countries to lift most restrictions. However experts say news like this doesn't mean the pandemic is over. Brian Lawless/PA Wire/dpa

Los Angeles (tca/dpa) — So how much longer will the pandemic last?

No one is sure. Coronavirus cases are falling, but it would be a mistake to think the pandemic is over, experts say.

The last decline in cases means that we’re likely turning to a period of calm in this pandemic, representing a “containment” of the coronavirus, but “that is not the same as the pandemic being over,” Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, wrote in the Los Angeles Times in February.

“Unfortunately, when states or countries proclaim that we just need to live with the virus and end all restrictions, many people interpret that message as meaning the pandemic is actually over — for good,” Topol said. “That would be a fantasy given the myriad opportunities for the virus to haunt us in the months and years ahead.”

What history tells us

Recent history has shown that pandemics can last for several years. The 1918 flu pandemic persisted into a third year, with a fourth wave in 1920 even deadlier in some US cities than the better-known second wave of late 1918, John Barry, author of “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History,” wrote in a recent op-ed.

Lately, scientists are studying the “Russian flu” pandemic that began in 1889 for clues to how the Covid-19 pandemic may turn out — since some scientists suspect that pandemic was actually caused by a coronavirus rather than a flu virus.

There are parallels between the two pandemics. The Russian pandemic was first reported in the spring of 1889 in what is now Uzbekistan. It spread worldwide in three distinct waves over three years, Dr. George Rutherford, a University of California, San Francisco epidemiologist, said at Friday’s campus town hall meeting.

But, unlike what typically happens with the flu, which is usually hardest on the very young and old, “this just got the old,” Rutherford said. And the distinctive symptoms in the 1889 pandemic included loss of taste and smell — traits similar to those seen with Covid-19.

A detailed report by scientist Harald Brüssow, published last August in the journal Microbial Biotechnology, suggested plausible scenarios in which elevated levels of Covid-19 deaths could last five years or even longer. The 1889 pandemic hit England and Wales in 1890, and deaths remained high through 1892. Deaths declined over the next two years but still remained “substantially higher than in the pre-pandemic period.”

“From these data, one might deduce a protracted five-year course for a Covid-19-like pandemic, suggesting that Covid-19 might occupy us well beyond 2022 if the current vaccination campaigns does not change its ‘natural’ trajectory,” Brüssow wrote.

Still, the author added, “it is by no means clear whether an epidemic with similar basic characteristics will be a replay of one which occurred 140 years ago.” There are a number of differences between that pandemic and the one caused by Covid-19; such as the lack of use of masks during the 1889 pandemic, the lack of quarantine measures and the unavailability of vaccines.

Growing optimism

Health officials are optimistic that drugs like Paxlovid will reduce the risk of severe illness and death from Covid-19. But there is a severe shortage of those drugs — one reason why health officials in some California counties, including L.A. County, are retaining local indoor mask orders until case rates drop further, likely for a few more weeks.

It’s possible the virus could still mutate into something potentially worse, overriding immunity provided by vaccines or past infection, Topol said.

That’s why it’s so important to be ready for a worst case scenario, such as being able to meticulously monitor new surges, ramp up wastewater tracking of the virus, improve air filtration and work on a variant-proof vaccine, Topol wrote.

Potential new variants are a big reason why it’s essential that people get vaccinated and boosted, thereby reducing the chances of yet a new mutant strain developing.

“Around the world, there are billions of people unvaccinated and likely without any protection from prior infection,” Topol said. “When the virus is not contained, as is the case in the world now, its spread creates the potential for new variants.”

Experts are still closely watching a sublineage of the omicron variant known as BA.2. BA.2 is probably somewhat more transmissible than the main omicron sublineage, BA.1, and there are very preliminary reports that it may cause somewhat more severe disease, Rutherford said. But BA.2 accounts for a relatively small fraction of analysed virus cases worldwide.

“At this moment, it does not look like BA.2 poses a threat as a major new variant, but it would not be surprising if we see another variant in future months that deserves a separate Greek letter designation,” Topol wrote.

Topics: Aaon

  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed the birth of their son as they got stuck in traffic on their way to the hospital. The couple – who have been …Read More »
  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

      Published by Radar Online   MEGA Fresh off his loss in a primary election in North Carolina, soon-to-be outgoing Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn is now calling for a new party to form on the right. …Read More »
  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    Published by Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department will release $5 million for states to establish hotlines to report hate crime, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Friday, as a mass shooting in …Read More »
  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Published by Reuters By Jennifer Rigby and Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common …Read More »
Previous Post: « Tom Daley launches second part of knitwear collection
Next Post: Beetlejuice 2 in the works at Brad Pitt’s Plan B production firm »

Primary Sidebar

News

  • New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

    New York Attorney General Announces Investigations Into Social Media Companies For Role In Buffalo Attack That Left 10 Dead

  • Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

    Former Presidential Advisor Reveals Vladimir Putin Was Constantly ‘Frustrated’ With Donald Trump & ‘Had To Keep Explaining Things’

  • NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

    NYC Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Confirms Engagement To Longtime Love Riley Roberts

  • Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

    Princess Diana’s tiara to headline exhibition at Sotheby’s

Break

  • Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

    Viola Davis was called by director’s maid’s name

  • Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

    Kerry Washington infuriated Scandal co-stars with kiss confession

  • Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

    Ryan Reynolds recalls brothers ‘saving’ him from dad’s anger with earrings

  • Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

    Upfronts 2022: Every new scripted series picked up by a broadcast network

RSS Partner Links

  • OMG, BROOOO! Billy Eichner will lead first gay rom-com by a major studio
  • Birthday Tribute: Scenes from Cher’s movies!
  • Celebrating Cher’s 76th birthday with some of her biggest hits from six different decades
  • OMG, he’s naked: Jonathan Bailey
  • OMG, WATCH: RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7 gives us a sneak peek ahead of premiere
  • Birthday Sluts
  • Roger Federer trains for a comeback!
  • On the Rag, Vol. 709
  • Morning Wood

Most Recent

  • Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

    Dave Chappelle’s alleged attacker charged with attempted murder

  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

    Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black almost missed son’s birth

  • Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

    Ousted Rep. Madison Cawthorn Calls For ‘Dark MAGA’ To Rise Up, Take Over Political Right

  • U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

    U.S. Justice Department releases $5 million for hotlines to report hate crimes

  • Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO  Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

    Monkeypox Gay Cases Rise; Europe Hits 100 Total; Triggers Emergency WHO Monkeypox Meeting; Symptoms Mild; Spain Connects Monkeypox virus, Sauna

  • Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

    Massachusetts identifies first 2022 U.S. case of monkeypox infection

  • 25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

    25-30 Cases Of Rare Monkeypox Reported in UK, Portugal; Reported Predominantly Among Gay, MSM; Somewhat Treatable with Smallpox Vaccine;

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Log in