Will the coronavirus ever go away?

WASHINGTON (AP) – Will the coronavirus ever go away?

No one is sure. Scientists believe the virus that causes COVID-19 may be with us for decades or more, but that doesn’t mean it will continue to pose the same threat.

The virus emerged at the end of 2019 and it’s hard to predict how it will behave in the long term. But many experts believe it is likely that the disease will eventually turn from a seizure to a nuisance like the common cold.

This would happen as people build up immunity over time, either through infection or vaccination. Other viruses have followed a similar path.

The 1918 influenza pandemic could also offer clues to the evolution of COVID-19.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a third of the world’s population has been infected with this virus, which originates from birds. Eventually, after those infected died or developed immunity, the virus stopped spreading rapidly. It then mutated into a less virulent form, which experts say continues to circulate seasonally.

However, the emergence of new COVID-19 variants could complicate the picture if future viral mutations cause more serious illness or escape vaccines.

It is unlikely that the virus will be completely eradicated, given the possibility that people may be re-infected after they have already been sick or vaccinated.

The only virus that has ever been eradicated from the human population is smallpox. This is because people develop long-lasting immunity to this virus after being sick or vaccinated.

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The AP answers your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit them to: [email protected].

Read the previous viral questions:

When can children be vaccinated against COVID-19?

How would COVID-19 vaccine makers cope with the variants?

How do we know COVID-19 vaccines are safe?