This Is How We Can End COVID In 6 Steps

There is frankly one question today on everybody’s mind: when will all this end? And although deep inside we all know this won’t really be over till it’s… over, we strive for a definite answer. Say, in June. The sad news is, the pandemic will be with us until we finally take individual responsibility. Instead of trying to avoid the jab, we should get ourselves vaccinated as soon as possible. Why? I’ll tell you in six simple, self-explanatory logical steps.

1. COVID-19 will end when the coronavirus becomes endemic

A virus becomes endemic when it has a constant presence within a population in a certain area. This is the case with influenza and the existing four human coronaviruses that cause common colds. This is also how the Spanish flu ended, which is still part of the flu strains today. Experts say this is most likely to happen to SarS-COV-19 as well. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that it stays with us forever as some endemic diseases have already been eliminated after achieving herd immunity through vaccines and natural infection.

2. The coronavirus becomes endemic if we can meet each other

If we stay at home, we won’t meet other people – that means we can’t transmit the disease. For example, this year there practically isn’t a flu season. It’s not because we got rid of influenza, but because we don’t meet anyone and we’re not transmitting the virus. This in fact made some experts raise the red flag for next year’s flu season, warning that we “may face a dramatic resurgence of flu next winter, after social distancing measures cut the virus to levels not seen for over a century.”

3. We can meet each other if we can lift restrictions and lockdowns

Obviously – how else are we to meet each other? Every country has its own regulations. From evening curfews and travel restrictions (like in Italy or in Belgium) to strict lockdown measures (as in Britain, Portugal or Ireland). And other places, like the Maldives or, say, Tanzania, welcome tourists happily upon presenting a single negative COVID test.

4. We can lift restrictions and lockdowns if we can reduce the pressure on healthcare

The reason behind the lockdowns is to protect healthcare systems from collapsing under the pressure of inflowing patients. Just remember the ethical issues of doctors in Italy, where they had to decide which patient to receive life-saving ventilators or an ICU bed – and who to leave without. Lockdowns would not have been imposed if healthcare systems had been able to handle the pressure presented by the virus; they were put in place to protect healthcare systems from collapse.

5. We can reduce the pressure on healthcare if we don’t get seriously ill needing intensive therapy after being infected

If fewer patients get sick, fewer people have to be hospitalised taking up ICU beds and care capacity upon contracting the virus. In that case, hospital capacities will free up; and medical personnel can have a well-deserved break from the pressure of taking care of too many patients.

6. We can avoid getting seriously ill needing intensive therapy after being infected if we are vaccinated

We already see in studies that COVID can have severe long-term complications, even in asymptomatic patients. It is therefore wrong to believe that it won’t do you harm if you’re young, healthy and take your vitamin supplements. You may just never know. Therefore the only safe choice is to get yourself vaccinated with one of the approved vaccines – especially now that we even have the data that prove this.

This is the logic. It’s the way forward and the more we delay these steps, the farther we get from ending the lockdowns. Now it is time for taking up the aforementioned individual responsibility. Act responsibly towards yourself, your loved ones and our global society, get the jab and stay safe – so we can all be safe.

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