By Samantha Wilson
When will it end? It’s a question that is in everyone’s minds right now. And the answers to when we will return to some semblance of normalcy and emerge from this COVID-19 nightmare vary widely depending on who you ask and range from hopeful to fatalistic.
A study done back in July by EHS Today showed that many Americans believe that life will never go back to the way it was prior to the pandemic. However, Dennis Burton, a professor at the Scripps Research Institute, believes that once there is a vaccine distributed and administered, then we could return to some version of pre-pandemic life.
And a vaccine could be closer than we think. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading epidemiologist, believes that despite there being no guarantee that there will be a vaccine by the end of 2020, it is not impossible.
According to the New York Times, there are currently 11 vaccines in phase three, the final phase, of testing. The collaborative effort of German company BioNTech, New York-based Pfizer and the Chinese drug maker Fosun Pharma seems to be the furthest along with efficacy trials. Officials expect to be able to announce something this month. Meanwhile, some companies like Johnson & Johnson have had to suspend their trials to investigate adverse reactions to the drug.
Of course, having a vaccine and having it available are two different things. Many experts say that even if one is available soon — it will take a considerable amount of time until it is available to everyday people versus first responders and others who may either qualify to get it sooner or may be able to obtain it sooner. According to BBC News, healthcare providers are likely to get the vaccine first, but other than that, each country will have to decide how they distribute their vaccine.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose Gates Foundation is leading an effort to support development and distribution of an eventual vaccine, believes life won’t be back to normal until the end of 2021, and believes that in other parts of the world it will take even longer despite the relatively rapid development of an effective vaccine.
While some may refute this, it’s hard to argue this logic as he has been ahead of the curve on much of what is happening right now. Gates actually predicted years ago that we would be hit with a pandemic, and sadly his prediction was correct.
Nobody has the definitive answer, but we do know that the top vaccine companies are working to fast-track a vaccine, and the top medical experts are doing their best to keep us informed. All we can do is continue to do our best to practice proper social distancing and be mindful of our friends, neighbors and family in order to keep everyone safe.
