In an indication that the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) may not completely go away from the country, a senior official of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Friday that the Covid-19 virus, just like influenza, will subsequently “reach its endemic stage.” This means that the virus will “always be present” among a certain population or within a region.
According to Dr Samiran Panda, who heads ICMR’s Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, once the virus reaches its endemic stage, annual vaccination may be required. “The Covid-19 virus will reach its endemic stage like influenza after a while. Then, the vulnerable population may have to get vaccinated annually,” Dr Panda said. He continued, “Commonly known as flu, influenza was a pandemic 100 years ago but today it is endemic. Similarly, in the case of Covid-19, it is expected that it will gradually become endemic from its current stage of pandemic.”
Dr Panda further recommended the elderly to take their flu shots every year. “There is no need to panic. As the influenza virus keeps on mutating, minor changes are made to the vaccine simultaneously,” the ICMR official said.
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