Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

theatlantic.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 1001 posts

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#21

Post by Pyramus »

xyzzy21 wrote: post #4

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

I think it's a key point to mention that it's more that the hosts will evolve, i.e. develop immunity or die off, rather than the virus. The virus will continue to mutate but mutation activity is invariant to lethality (up to a certain point where lethality precludes transmission - where SARS-Cov-2 is far away from). In fact, because there is a correlation between viral load and lethality, the virus will actually get less benign on average in the short term.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#22

Post by goodpoint »

Bostonian wrote: post #7
JackPoach wrote: post #2

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 is plain false. The majority of infections have been across heterosexuals, and also by blood transfusions.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#23

Post by celticninja »

cm2187 wrote: 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?

What restrictions do you mean? I am in the UK and facing no restrictions in daily life.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#24

Post by NoPie »

evgen wrote: post #13
Bostonian wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Even in Eastern Europe currently most HIV transmissions happen with heterosexuals. I was surprised to learn that in the Western countries it is mostly spread by MSM (men having sex with men) and IDU (intravenous drug use).

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#25

Post by rossdavidh »

manojlds wrote: post #19
lambdaba wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

What about the original SARS?

The original SARS had a much higher mortality rate, which meant that trace-and-isolate responses actually had a chance of working. The mortality rate of Covid-19 is nowhere near that of SARS, which actually allows it to kill more people in the end because it can spread stealthily, and no lockdown or trace-and-isolate has worked. There are also more reports of animal reservoirs for Covid-19 than for SARS.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#27

Post by slickrick216 »

cm2187 wrote: 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?

Don’t know about the UK but in other EU countries with near full vaccination rates it does seem like they want a perpetual semi lockdown yes. Directive 10-289.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#28

Post by argvargc »

HarryHirsch wrote: post #9
xyzzy21 wrote: 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.

And despite killing ten times as many people as COVID, these changes were achieved without destroying small businesses and jobs, plunging millions into poverty (and likely later starvation), gross human rights violations and police brutality, and reintroduction of segregation into previously free democratic societies. (Just like with all other communicable diseases of modern times.)

Go us.

Re: The Coronavirus Is Here Forever

#30

Post by cm2187 »

celticninja wrote: post #23
cm2187 wrote: 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?

What restrictions do you mean? I am in the UK and facing no restrictions in daily life.

No restriction? You will have a nasty surprise if you return from a red list country. Plus mandatory covid tests before and after returning to the UK. Plus mandatory face masks in public transports. Plus mandatory self-quarantine if you are pinged by the NHS app. Many companies have not returned to the office. We are not back to normal.
Post reply on HN