COVID-19 might soon be treated like seasonal flu, according to Bill Gates of Microsoft, at least until the more transmittable Omicron variant instances have dropped after their peak.
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: Bill Gates speaks during the Global Investment Summit at the Science Museum on October 19, 2021 in London, England. The summit brought together British politicians, royalty, CEOs of the world's biggest banks and other business leaders with the aim of highlighting how the UK is "using investment to cement itself as a science and tech superpower, and a pioneer of green technology ahead of COP26," according to the country's international trade secretary
COVID-19 Could Be Like Seasonal Flu After Omicron Peaks, Bill Gates Says
Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and a millionaire, believes the COVID-19 epidemic is nearing an end.
According to Business Insider, the revelation comes as we enter the third year of the novel coronavirus epidemic, with the number of cases shattering records in the last few days.
Despite the world's dire circumstances at the start of the year, Gates sheds light on how the worst of the COVID epidemic is about to end.
The Microsoft co-founder remarked on Twitter that the rest of the year should see significantly fewer instances once Omicron runs through a country,
He made these statements on a Twitter Q&A in response to Devi Sridhar, the University of Edinburgh's chair of global public health.
Furthermore, Gates stated that COVID might be handled more like seasonal flu by that time.
A more transmissive variant is not likely but we have been surprised a lot during this pandemic. Omicron will create a lot of immunity at least for the next year. @trvrb tracks the genetics really well. We may have to take yearly shots for Covid for some time.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 11, 2022
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious-disease specialist, predicted last week that the Omicron variety "will find just about everyone." Gates' comments matched Fauci's.
Experts predict that the Omicron surge in COVID cases will peak by the end of January. One critical signal indicates that the peak has passed: COVID-19 levels in poop are decreasing.
Bill Gates Stand on COVID-19 Vaccines
In the same Twitter Q&A with Sridhar, Gates stated that the existing COVID-19 vaccinations only "avoid serious sickness and death."
He also mentioned that two essential elements are lacking from the existing vaccinations.
To begin, the Microsoft founder stated that existing COVID-19 vaccinations have yet to prevent the virus from causing breakthrough infections. Furthermore, he stated that the protection from severe symptoms and mortality appeared to be limited in length.
The vaccines we have prevent severe disease and death very well but they are missing two key things.
First they still allow infections ("breakthrough") and the duration appears to be limited.
We need vaccines that prevent re-infection and have many years of duration.#— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 11, 2022
COVID-19 vaccinations, according to Gates, should "prevent re-infection and last for many years."
As a result, the billionaire is hoping that Omicron's success in containing the COVID-19 pandemic will develop into an endemic, similar to the seasonal flu we've been experiencing.
COVID-19 Pandemic to Endemic
Meanwhile, Fox Business story said Nadhim Zahawi, the former UK minister for vaccine deployment who is now the Secretary of State for Education, expressed his hopeful wish for Britain.
Zahawi expressed his desire for the United Kingdom to "be one of the first wealthy nations to show to the world how you shift from pandemic to endemic."
Furthermore, Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, is now advising other African nations to treat the COVID-19 outbreak as if it were endemic.
RELATED ARTICLE: COVID-19 Omicron Variant May Have Evolved in Mice, Instead of Humans
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