UT Dell Medical School experts say COVID-19 may become a seasonal virus alot like the flu.
The University’s Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers says COVID may become a milder seasonal threat in the years ahead. however much like the flu she adds, this is something people will be given booster shots for and learn to live with. Dr. Meyers admits this is her speculation but notes other influenza pandemics like H1N1 have done the same.
With heard immunity on several health leaders’ minds, Dr. Meyers says about 70% of a population needs to be vaccinated in some form to slow the spread. However she says this vaccination effort must spread to all corners of an area. “If you have pockets, where you have low levels of coverage,” Dr. Meyers explains, that can subvert even an overall high level of coverage.
Schools, be it K-12 or at the University level is expected to return to some form of normal. Dr. Meyers believes that will begin in the Fall semester but that is with more vaccinations in mind, “especially if vaccines become available for kids in the summer.” She also believes masks will still be used, and is hopefull that more frequent COVID testing is used as vaccinations for kids are rolled out.
