After two years disrupting daily life, COVID-19 may soon fade into the background. Amid surging Omicron cases, World Health Organization (WHO) technical lead Maria Van Kerkhove offers grounded optimism on ending the pandemic.
Last December, during a conference, Van Kerkhove outlined a path forward for 2022. "We can stem COVID-19 mortality and reduce its spread," she stated. "2022 is the year we can end the COVID-19 pandemic. We have tools today to contain the disease's severity, reduce morbidity, hospitalizations, severe cases, ICU admissions, and deaths."
While reassuring, this outlook warrants caution. New variants will likely emerge, but as Van Kerkhove stresses, "we have tools now." The aim isn't total eradication but effective management, enabling us to live safely with the virus.
