[ad_1]
A vaccine is unlikely to eradicate the coronavirus, and the disease is likely to become endemic in Britain, Sir Patrick Vallance warned.
The government’s top scientific adviser said that “the notion of eliminating Covid is not correct,” adding that people would have to learn to live with the virus.
Speaking to the joint committee on national security strategy, Sir Patrick said that even if a vaccine were available by spring it would not eliminate the virus completely.
“I mean, it is worth reflecting that there is only one human disease that has been truly eradicated, and it is from the highly effective vaccine to smallpox, so it is a very difficult thing to do,” he told MPs and colleagues.
“We can’t be sure, but I think it is unlikely that we will end up with a truly sterilizing vaccine, something that will completely stop the infection, and this disease is likely to be circulating and endemic.”
“Clearly, as management improves and you get vaccinated, that would decrease the likelihood of infection and severity of illness, and this starts to look more like an annual flu than anything else and that may be the direction in which let’s finish going.
“Even with a vaccine, this is something that we will have to manage.”
