US (Washington Insider Magazine) – Fact Check: Is Covid Really Over?
Though the first case of the COVID-19 was recorded in 2019, it wasn’t until 2020 that we understood just how turbulent the virus would be.
In late February and early March of 2020, countries around the world started to lockdown in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus.
While our early efforts to combat the virus did ‘flatten the curve,’ to this date there have been a shocking 529 million cases of COVID-19, and 6.29 million global deaths recorded, with over 1 million deaths recorded in the United States alone.
The nation is left questioning after a surge of virulent Coronavirus variants, such as Omicron, hit (and continue to hit) the United States hard. Half of the country seems to believe that the worst is behind us…but is it really?
Below, we’re answering the global question: Is COVID actually over, or are we simply in a prolonged ‘endemic stage?’
What is the COVID risk in 2022?
For two years we’ve been living in a global pandemic…and in those two years, the risks have changed dramatically as society builds up its immunity from the virus. Despite the progressions made to control the disease, there are (still) several key risks of COVID in 2022:
Protecting the clinically vulnerable
A primary risk of COVID in 2022 is the risk of a more serious illness experience for vulnerable members of the general public.
According to CDC, clinically vulnerable people include those with:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- HIV infection
- Overweight and obesity
- Pregnancy
- Tuberculosis
- Immunocompromised individuals
To keep the vulnerable safe from COVID-19, governments across the country issued health measures to stop the spread of the disease back in 2020. Despite many of these being lifted, the vulnerable classes still face extensive risk from the deadly disease.
The next risk is the number of hospitalizations, and the strain that “long COVID” can put on the global healthcare system.
Health care providers across the country have recently suffered major financial losses due to a surge in unemployment across 2021 and 2022, making it difficult for providers to keep up with the demand and rising expenses in the peak areas of risk from the pandemic.
As recent as 2021, the nation’s hospitals were expected to lose a total of $54 billion in net income. This may worsen in 2022 in large part because of the high turnover of staff.
Is COVID really over?
Now we understand how COVID-19 is continuing to impact our society in 2022, it’s time to answer our central question: is COVID over?
In short, no. It may never be, in fact. There are still new cases being reported in the U.S. every day. For example, on June 2nd, 2022, there were a total of 82896 national cases.
However, there is hope on the horizon. health experts are suggesting that we are now entering an ‘endemic phase,’ of COVID, which is where the disease is stable and predictable.
We also want to reiterate: While it isn’t over, it certainly is becoming easier to predict and prevent COVID.
Today, Coronavirus cases have dropped globally from where we were in 2020…. but just because cases have dropped doesn’t mean that immunity has increased — especially when you consider the prospect of new variants.
It’s only when new variants come along that we will start to understand our true immunity and learn how the disease continues to evolve. Until we get to that place where natural immunity protects us from virulent variants, then COVID-19 will not be over.
