Wuhan virus will never go away, explains Palki Sharma Upadhyay

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New Delhi: How many vaccines do we need to end the Wuhan virus? Experts are of opinion that vaccines may not put an end to the pandemic. As far as the coronavirus virus is concerned, it is here to stay. Past pandemics, present numbers, and experts- all corroborate this. Here's what WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells us in detail about COVID-19 vaccines, their impact on the pandemic, and other facts. 

We have been waiting for COVID-19 vaccines, and the headlines this week gave us respite, as three vaccines have already been approved, and at least two others are awaiting regulatory approvals, and many others are in phase 3 of trials. 

Although these positive developments help us end this year on a better note, the question remains- do they end the Wuhan virus pandemic?

The fact, however, remains that the pandemic is not going away anytime soon as vaccines may be here, but the virus is likely to stay. 

If we look in the past, the Wuhan virus is not the first pandemic. History has witnessed many such viruses like The great plague of Marseille, the first Cholera pandemic from 1817 to 1824, the third plague pandemic, which started in China sometime in 1855 and remained active until 1960.

Vaccines may not put an end to the pandemic. As for the virus- it may be here to stay.
Past pandemics, present numbers, and experts- all corroborate this. Listen in to @palkisu. pic.twitter.com/Vg7bgWPfoU — WION (@WIONews) December 13, 2020

Among other pandemic was the Spanish Flu or the 1918 Flu pandemic that lasted from January 1918 to December 1920; Asian Flu started in Hong Kong in 1957, and its second wave was witnessed in 1958. A vaccine was finally developed.

In the last two centuries, Cholera has reached pandemic proportions 7 times, and the last one ended in 1975. SARS is known to be the first pandemic of the 21st century, originating in China in 2002, and was eradicated in 2004.

HIV started in 1981, but it is still classed as a pandemic even after almost 40 years, claiming the lives of over 32 million people, while at least 37.9 million others are still living with it. So far, we do not have a vaccine for HIV. 

However, we have managed to develop one for the Wuhan virus, but it may not be a silver bullet. A Mckinsey report predicts that it may take as long as December 2021 for the US to achieve herd immunity. It may take at least a year for the pandemic to end.

The fact is that viruses don't just disappear, they rather take time, and we also witness their repeated waves. The vaccine is just one weapon in the fight against a pandemic, as they exist for a bunch of other human viruses too, but if we look at history, why only smallpox has been eradicated from the planet?

Smallpox was eradicated 184 years later, in 1980. It was considered a global achievement as it had devastated humanity for at least 3000 years.

On the contrary, times have changed and science has progressed a lot. If a vaccine could be developed in a record period of fewer than 10 months, then we will be able to speed up other processes also. From manufacturing to distribution and administering of the vaccine.

Can we rely on the current shot? How long will the vaccine-induced immunity last? There is always a chance that the Wuhan virus will mutate as every virus mutates- even the Flu virus.

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be able to cover us against a mutated Wuhan virus? We do not have an answer to that yet. There are several other questions that need an answer. 

If the Wuhan virus will never go away, let's learn to live with it, and defeat it.