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When will coronavirus end?
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Scientists expect future outbreaks to happen

Scientific models predict that the virus may always be present and immunity against the virus may not last. When immunity fades, smaller COVID outbreaks will emerge. Scientists also predict virus mutation and cross-infection with other viruses, making COVID stronger and more resistant.

The Argument

While people can gain immunity for the virus after infection, some studies show that this immunity may not last forever. Some people will lose immunity while the virus is still spreading. People who recovered from COVID infection may become reinfected. Given the possibility of reinfection, It is impossible or very difficult to contain the virus.[1] The spread of coronavirus and the flu virus at the same time may continue and worsen the outbreak. With the two viruses circulating in large amounts in the winter, scientists predict that the coronavirus may combine with the flu virus, resulting in a stronger mutated virus. This cross-infection will lead to another stronger outbreak, making it very difficult to end the coronavirus as it gets stronger.[2] Even if the two viruses do not combine, the presence of coronavirus and flu-virus cases will overwhelm the healthcare system, resulting in overcrowding and some people losing access to healthcare. Since both viruses have similar symptoms, it will also be difficult to distinguish between a flu case and a coronavirus case.[2] The virus is still present in some animal species. Even if the world manages to completely eradicate the virus from the human population, there is always the chance that it can jump back to humans from other animals. Scientists also do not know if humans transmitted the virus back to some animals, which would make the virus more mutated and stronger. The virus will always be present and continues to mutate either in humans or other animals. Scientists cannot eliminate the possibility of future outbreaks and the virus may never end.[3]

Counter arguments

There is a solution for fading immunity: a coronavirus vaccine. People can get regular vaccine boosters against the virus to re-obtain immunity. In this way, the virus will not be able to infect people and will eventually die. There is a low probability that COVID-19 and the flu viruses combine. Some researchers speculate that the strength of the coronavirus may decrease if it combines with the common cold viruses because humans will have built immunity against the pathogens. [1]

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2020/08/06/coronavirus-future#:~:text=As%20new%20coronavirus%20cases%20continue,global%20pandemic,%20either.
  2. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-and-the-flu-a-looming-double-threat/
  3. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/08/coronavirus-will-never-go-away/614860/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20faster%20protection%20goes%20away,eradication,%E2%80%9D%20Grad%20told%20me.&text=This%20has%20implications%20for%20a,to%20maintain%20immunity%20over%20time.
This page was last edited on Tuesday, 29 Sep 2020 at 19:06 UTC

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