COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless, says evolutionary virologist ArisKatzourakis
The word ‘endemic’ has become one of the most misused of the pandemic. And many of the errant assumptions made encourage a misplaced complacency. It doesn’t mean that COVID-19 will come to a natural end.
In other words, a disease can be endemic and both widespread and deadly. Malaria killed more than 600,000 people in 2020. Ten million fell ill with tuberculosis that same year and 1.5 million died. Endemic certainly does not mean that evolution has somehow tamed a pathogen so that life simply returns to ‘normal’.As an evolutionary virologist, it frustrates me when policymakers invoke the word endemic as an excuse to do little or nothing.
Soon after the Alpha variant emerged and spread in late 2020, I argued that, unless infections were suppressed, viral evolution would be fast and unpredictable, with the emergence of more variants with different and potentially more-dangerous biological characteristics.
COVID-19 is, of course, not the world’s first pandemic. The fact that immune systems have evolved to cope with constant infections, and the traces of viral genetic material embedded in our own genomes from ancient viral infections, are testament to such evolutionary battles. It is likely that some viruses went ‘extinct’ on their own and still caused high rates of mortality on the way out.There is a widespread, rosy misconception that viruses evolve over time to become more benign.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Blood test could reveal risk of having long-term health effects of COVID-19While long COVID-19 continues to cause medical problems for thousands of Utahns, new research suggests a blood test could one day help determine a person's risk for the perplexing condition.
Read more »
COVID-19 live updates: SF to change indoor mask rulesBREAKING: Starting on Feb. 1, SF is loosening indoor mask rules for office workers, gym members, and other 'stable cohort' environments for people who are vaccinated and have had booster shots.
Read more »
Majority Of Americans Think Covid-19 Is Here To Stay, Poll FindsI am a London-based reporter for Forbes covering breaking news. Previously, I have worked as a reporter for a specialist legal publication covering big data and as a freelance journalist and policy analyst covering science, tech and health. I have a master’s degree in Biological Natural Sciences and a master’s degree in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge. Follow me on Twitter theroberthart or email me at rhartforbes.com
Read more »
Orange County Passes 6,000 Deaths For COVID-19Orange County sprinted past a grim milestone of 6,000 COVID-19 deaths, while hospitalizations and other data indicated this winter's Omicron variant-fueled surge is slowing.
Read more »
Utah reports 6 new deaths Thursday; 7,033 new COVID-19 casesThe Utah Department of Health on Thursday reported 7,033 new COVID-19 cases and six new deaths from the virus.
Read more »
Hospital patient who refused COVID-19 vaccine denied heart transplantA Boston hospital is defending itself after a man’s family claimed he was denied a new heart for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read more »