American scientists analyzed data on four known human coronaviruses, which cause mild symptoms of the common cold, and made a forecast of the development of the situation with the coronavirus for the next 10 years. The results of the research are retelling by EurekAlert. According to experts, over a decade, the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak will move from a pandemic to an endemic one and will be maintained at a constant baseline level in the population, not fueled by external infections. Moreover, endemic SARS-CoV-2 can become a disease in early childhood, when the first infection occurs at the age of 3 to 5 years. Older people can still become infected, but they will have immune defenses against severe disease. The authors also note that if primary infections in children are mild when the virus becomes endemic, large-scale vaccination may not be necessary. Currently, vaccination is necessary, as it reduces the severity of the disease and forms a massive immune response, which determines how quickly COVID-19 becomes endemic. According to the authors, vaccination in the future should be phased out gradually, keeping it for a longer period for certain age groups.
