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The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

theatlantic.com

11–20 of 1001 posts

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#11
post #4

Yes. And it will evolve into a fairly benign endemic virus just like its cousin: the common cold coronavirus.

How do you know? HIV hasn't evolved to be any less deadly in the 40 years it has been around. Instead, there's most excellent treatment available and people have changed their behaviour.

HIV is a different family of viruses, so the comparison to the corona family of viruses doesn't apply.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#12
post #4

Yes. And it will evolve into a fairly benign endemic virus just like its cousin: the common cold coronavirus.

I downvoted for an opinion-based answer. Yea generally viruses evolve to be less deadly and more infectious, that’s the trend (but certainly not a law), but the important thing is the time scale. Plus there are endemic viruses that are not benign. So this comment came across as a bit too confident. Feel free to expand on it.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#13

Though coronavirus is very different in many respects, it's worthwhile (especially if you are older like me) to remember the history of AIDS. We've learned to live with it and limit its spread very effectively in the western world.

AIDS never spread broadly among heterosexuals who did not share needles or have partners who are bisexual or shared needles. Everyone is at risk for covid, like the flu.

Spoken like someone whose knowledge of the world ends at the US border. Hate to be the bearer of unpleasant news, but there are parts of the world where HIV was mostly a heterosexual disease. The nature of the main infected population depended upon how HIV was first introduced a country and what cultural behaviors helped or hindered its spread.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#14

Though coronavirus is very different in many respects, it's worthwhile (especially if you are older like me) to remember the history of AIDS. We've learned to live with it and limit its spread very effectively in the western world.

AIDS never spread broadly among heterosexuals who did not share needles or have partners who are bisexual or shared needles. Everyone is at risk for covid, like the flu.

This certainly was not the experience of other countries such as South Africa where the majority of transfer (roughly 80%) was via heterosexual transfer.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#15

Though coronavirus is very different in many respects, it's worthwhile (especially if you are older like me) to remember the history of AIDS. We've learned to live with it and limit its spread very effectively in the western world.

AIDS never spread broadly among heterosexuals who did not share needles or have partners who are bisexual or shared needles. Everyone is at risk for covid, like the flu.

The continent of Africa would tend to disagree with such an assertion.

Heck, in some countries, more than 15% of HIV infections are contracted at birth.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/hiv-statistics-5088304

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#16
That's why I don't really understand why there are still covid restrictions in countries that are close to full vaccination, like the UK. There isn't really a next step after having vaccinated the population, it is "steady state". So do they want us to have these restrictions (countries you can't travel to, endless testing, mask requirements) forever?

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#17
post #12
post #4

Yes. And it will evolve into a fairly benign endemic virus just like its cousin: the common cold coronavirus.

I downvoted for an opinion-based answer. Yea generally viruses evolve to be less deadly and more infectious, that’s the trend (but certainly not a law), but the important thing is the time scale. Plus there are endemic viruses that are not benign. So this comment came across as a bit too confident. Feel free to expand on it.

Didn't the Spanish Flu (which was way more virulent) basically evolve in this way?

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#18
post #4

Yes. And it will evolve into a fairly benign endemic virus just like its cousin: the common cold coronavirus.

How do you know? HIV hasn't evolved to be any less deadly in the 40 years it has been around. Instead, there's most excellent treatment available and people have changed their behaviour.

HIV is what it is because of its type. If all viruses are like that we probably won't exist or would have evolved to fight it better.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#19
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I downvoted for an opinion-based answer. Yea generally viruses evolve to be less deadly and more infectious, that’s the trend (but certainly not a law), but the important thing is the time scale. Plus there are endemic viruses that are not benign. So this comment came across as a bit too confident. Feel free to expand on it.

Didn't the Spanish Flu (which was way more virulent) basically evolve in this way?

What about the original SARS?

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#20
post #16

That's why I don't really understand why there are still covid restrictions in countries that are close to full vaccination, like the UK. There isn't really a next step after having vaccinated the population, it is "steady state". So do they want us to have these restrictions (countries you can't travel to, endless testing, mask requirements) forever?

In the case of the U.K., it's the population (not the government) that is holding things back. My impression is that Boris Johnson is opening things up as fast as he thinks he can get away with, without an enormous backlash that gets him removed from office. Unlike, say, France where the positions of government and popular backlash are reversed.
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