My uninformed guess: Covid will run it's course, eventually. The worst is actually behind us.

[lindysalsagal]

After more deaths and many more financial losses, more teachers losses, nurse shortages, ruined small restaurants, and the damage done to universities, it's gonna weaken and run it's course and become a 3rd world nuisance. No idea how long it will take, but, it will actually become more like the flu, as some were saying up front. I hope they'll combine the flu and covid into one vaccine, and make the testing available.

[Elessar Zappa]

1. I agree.

[secondwind]

2. It will be "endemic", requiring a shot every year... this is what we have to look forward to....

because idiots thought they knew more about science than the scientists...

[Zeitghost]

11. It will be endemic for sure

But that was inevitable from the moment it escaped Wuhan. There was never a viable option to eliminate COVID. It's far too contagious, mutates too quickly and has infected animal as well as human populations. Vaccines protect individuals, but are not effective in stopping the spread, even if the entire human population was vaccinated day 1.

[Otto_Harper]

3. I have long assumed that Covid would eventually go away

The big question I have had was whether it was going away by itself, or taking me with it.

[onenote]

4. Yes, it will eventually run its course. But what is the evidence that the worst is behind us?

[lame54]

7. I think this statement is a month or two early

[Hugh_Lebowski]

6. Maybe omicron could be a positive ... very contagious but apparently less virulent

This spread right now might end up given a large swath of the unvaxxed population ... some C19 immunity.

Sure, 'natural immunity' is not (likely) better than vaccination, but it's better than nothing.

And then I think it's also going to get some people to finally pull the trigger and get a proper vaccination done.

[Raftergirl]

8. Besides the unvaccinated gaining immunity

a very large number of vaccinated will have super immunity, due to all the breakthrough cases.

Also, study has shown it appears Omicron gives cross immunity to Delta. The reverse is not true. Neither Delta or Beta has cross immunity for Omicron. This means that Omicron will likely completely replace Delta. It’s already been replaced in London, which was the epicenter for cases in the UK.

Article about the study.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/safrica-study-suggests-omicron-enhances-neutralizing-immunity-against-delta-2021-12-28/

The paper.

https://secureservercdn.net/50.62.198.70/1mx.c5c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MEDRXIV-2021-268439v1-Sigal.pdf

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Eventually it will, but it will probably take another

couple of years. At least that's my assessment.

[Johnny2X2X]

10. It's here to stay

But will be more like a severe flu season going forward. And some people will get Covid every year, or multiple times a year.

I've had it twice, once before vaccines were available that I got lucky on and it was very mild, and once after I was fully vaccinated and boostered that was more severe. So I should have about as much immunity to it as possible, but I'm sure I'll get it again at some point.

[Raine]

12. Agree, it's at it's end. nt

[Wounded Bear]

13. I think we have a couple of more weeks to go...

with the Holiday rush/surge.

After that, you're probably right.