During an interview with The Hill on Jan. 27, Fauci made it clear that we’d never be able to take our minds off COVID entirely. “If normal means not paying attention to anything, we’re never going to go to that normal,” he said. “To me, that would be abnormal, because from now on, we’ve got to constantly be vigilant.” Society won’t be able to disregard COVID completely, in large part because the virus will remain a threat. And it’s one that researchers and doctors will have to be keenly aware of. “That to me is the new normal—constant vigilance,” Fauci added. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Fauci pointed out that the virus continues to evolve, which could require an adjustment to treatments and vaccines. “We have to be prepared that this will be an elusive virus, that we would have to make some modifications in our interventions, whatever they may be,” he said. Fauci cited the potential for an upgraded vaccine or different monoclonal antibody treatments down the line.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb In the year since we first began seeing this coronavirus, it has mutated many times. Some mutations have been benign, while others have proven to be more challenging to contain. Recent research concluded that the vaccine is somewhat less effective against the South Africa strain of COVID. In response, experts began working on an additional booster dose that would close the gap in protection. Adjustments like this one may be necessary for years to come as the virus continues to evolve. And for more on the future of the pandemic, COVID Researchers Just Issued Their Bleakest 2021 Prediction Yet. Fauci’s words of warning weren’t all gloomy—he also assured listeners that there was hope. “There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Fauci said. “We will begin to approach some degree of normality as we get into the late fall of this year, as we get into the winter.” At the same time, the infectious disease expert was careful to temper his optimistic words with another dose of reality. “We’ve got to keep our eye on it and our pressure on it. Otherwise, it could slip away from us,” he added. And for a memorable moment from the past year, Dr. Fauci Said Hearing These 5 Words About COVID Made Him Cry. CNBC reported that during a panel discussion at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 13, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel shared his predictions on the future of COVID. “SARS-CoV-2 is not going away,” Bancel said. “We are going to live with this virus, we think, forever.” The formal word for this is “endemic,” which means the virus is ever-present, circulating at low levels at all times but only occasionally causing severe illness. And for more coronavirus news, This Over-the-Counter Medication Can Kill COVID, Study Says.
