The World Health Organization, WHO has cautioned that COVID-19 may never permanently go away, thereby warning against trying to predict how long the COVID-19 would keep circulating. WHO called for a "massive effort" to overcome it. During a virtual press conference from Geneva on Wednesday, May 13, emergency director for the global health body Dr Mike Ryan, made the declaration stating that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a "massive effort".
“It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away,” he said. “I think there are no promises in this and there are no dates. This disease may settle into a long problem, or it may not be.”
"HIV has not gone away - but we have come to terms with the virus." Dr Ryan also said he does not believe anyone can predict when the virus will disappear.
Meanwhile, The United Nations (UN) has said the pandemic was causing widespread distress and mental ill-health particularly in countries where there's a lack of investment in mental healthcare. The UN has urged governments to make mental health considerations part of their overall response.
