“Just like HIV, COVID-19 may never go away” – WHO chief says
As people around the world wonder when the coronavirus might go away, a World Health Organization (WHO) chief says there is every chance the virus might not disappear, just like HIV.
The World Health Organization warned Wednesday that the new virus, which has infected 4.3 million people worldwide, may become endemic, just like the HIV virus, and that people may have to learn to live with it.
HIV/AIDS was first clinically observed in 1981 in the United States and almost 40 years after, no vaccine or cure has been developed for the virus which has so far killed nearly a million people.
Mike Ryan, the Executive director of the World Health Organization health emergency program, made this known while speaking in an online briefing today May 13.
He said the virus may just become one of the known viruses that kills people annually around the world.
“This virus just may become another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away. HIV hasn’t gone away. I’m not comparing the two diseases but I think it is important that we’re realistic. I don’t think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear.
I think there are no promises in this and there are no dates. This disease may settle into a long problem, or it may not be” Ryan said
About 100 organizations worldwide are working on developing a coronavirus vaccine. Even if they find one that works, containing the virus will take a “massive effort,” the WHO official said.
Meanwhile, the California-based Gilead drug company has reached agreements with several companies to make its antiviral drug Veklury, the brand name of remdesivir, available in 127 countries to help treat COVID-19.
