COVID-19: It ain't over until the fat lady sings
Our expectations are not going to end this pandemic
Millions have been affected by the ongoing COVID pandemic. And it is always on top of everyone’s minds the one question - “When will this pandemic be over?”
Indications are this pandemic is in for the long haul. Look at the evidence:
Several new variants from different countries - UK, South Africa, Brazil
Slow vaccination progress even in so-called developed countries. Could take 2-4 years for reasonable coverage globally
Insufficient genome sequencing in major hotspots like the US. The current rate of 2% is insufficient to find new variants as at least 10% is required.
The veracity of the vaccine to new variants unknown.
We are in the domain of unknown-unknowns and unknowable unknowns and this pandemic ain’t going to be over until the fat lady sings. And what I know for sure is this - there ain’t going to be a fat lady singing to signal the end of this pandemic.
So, what do we do?
Adjust our expectations, accept the reality as is
Follow expected practices - handwashing, masks, isolation, avoiding crowds, eliminating travel, eliminating all non-essential exposure, and live like you have the virus personally in your household.
And if you do continue to get the virus and survive it, follow step 2.
Rough it out as things emerge.
After all, the only thing we can do is accept and live with reality. Our need for engineering the reality is an impossible illusion and out of our control. So, let’s stop counting chicks before they hatch. We are going to end up with a serious miscount.
Sources:
Wikipedia: It ain't over till the fat lady sings
Newest vaccine emerges amid a ‘more complicated pandemic’
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/02/dan-barouch-discusses-new-coronavirus-variants/
The UK is already thinking of vaccinating in Winter again. Covid-19: UK orders extra 40m doses of Valneva vaccine
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55887264
What new Covid-19 variants mean for our fight with the virus
http://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210119-covid-19-variants-how-the-virus-will-mutate-in-the-future