The world is gradually coming to the grim realisation that Covid-19 might be here to stay; that we’ve moved from a pandemic disease outbreak to an endemic, as in regular, disease condition. There are no more “shining stars” as China, South Korea and Germany struggle with new infections following reopening, while others like the United States reopened before they had “flattened the curve”.
As the New York Times reported this week, “countries are now moving from (socially and economically) damaging lockdowns to targeted ways to find and stop outbreaks before they become third or fourth waves”. Relentless testing, tracing and monitoring, proactive official quarantine and isolation responses, tight border management and constant citizen reminders on hygiene and social distancing are part of this “new abnormal”. Welcome to 2020, the Chinese Year of the Rat.
