University of Queensland professor Ian Mackay says COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) will become another of the endemic viruses will already have that “mostly cause colds”.
In comments reported by The Australian, professor Mackay said:
“It doesn’t look like this virus is ever going to go back in its box,” Professor Mackay told The Australian. “And so we’re likely to have the virus become what we call an endemic virus, or a virus that’s just with us for life.
“We already have four of these coronaviruses, mostly causing colds. We get them every year. They peak during winter but they still move around between us during the rest of the year as well. So it’s likely this might become one of those.
“At some point in the coming months or years we’re all going to get infected because we’ve all been infected by these other endemic viruses.”
Meanwhile PM Scott Morrison has activated the first phase of Australia’s emergency response plan.
He said on Thursday:
“I want to stress that these actions are being taken in an abundance of caution,” he said.
“We have always acted with an abundance of caution on this issue, and that has put Australia and the strong position we are in to this time in being able to contain the impact of this virus.
“The actions we are now taking in being prepared even further is to ensure that we can respond immediately when the virus moved to the next level.”
Scott Morrison has initiated the government’s emergency response plan, declaring the risk of a global coronavirus pandemic is now much higher. https://t.co/lMfeofIs9v
— The Australian (@australian) February 27, 2020
