So, what next? It’s a question that most people haven’t even had time to process. With schools opening back up, 2020 finally feeling like it’s closing out, and ever-growing rates of COVID-19 cases, few have been able to step back enough to examine the future past their next four business days. However, a good perspective on a post-vaccine world is going to be crucial in determining the reconstruction of the world of medicine. As COVID-19 vaccine research expands daily, let’s take a look at some of the potential key features of a world after the vaccine.
New research from Frontiers in Public Health suggests that coronavirus is potentially seasonal, similar to the flu. It is important to note, however, that “this seasonality is only likely to occur once a vaccine is developed and greater herd immunity is achieved.” Steps must be taken towards these goals in order to significantly lessen the impact of COVID-19. The study found that coronavirus cases would decrease in the summer in temperate areas and then spike in the winter. As society advances past the virus, this timeline is vital to maintaining public health.
A less quantitative prediction of society after coronavirus is normalizing the concept of masks. In certain Asian countries, particularly Japan, mask-wearing was the norm long before COVID-19, and perhaps this trend will continue in other countries after the pandemic has settled. Although the mask has become a controversial subject in American politics, they are proven to be helpful in preventing disease, and this pandemic may help destigmatize the concept of masks once and for all.
The final, arguably most important, effect of COVID-19 is a potential appreciation for medical professionals. Even with all the negatives of this pandemic, doctors, PA’s, nurses, and other healthcare workers have evidenced the tremendous effort and labor that medicine requires. However, they have also evidenced the triumph of the medical field. Without a stable healthcare system and the workers who support it, the case and fatality rate could have been even more detrimental than they already are.
When examining the current effects of COVID-19 on the modern world, it’s important to also analyze possible outcomes. From a medical, political, and technological perspective, coronavirus will continue to reshape the world as we know it. As researchers and scientists continue to strive for advancements in their fields, the pursuit of medical knowledge becomes ever-necessary. As long as people ask questions, progress can always be made.
References
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-will-eventually-become-seasonal-researchers-predict
Article written by Anna Cernich
Article edited by Zain Qureshi
Graphics by London San Luis
Group advised by Aashima Sagar
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