Medical experts like Matthew Boente MD have been quick to speak out recently about the importance of ensuring that we continue to follow the guidelines when we are outside. This means that we should all continue to use face masks, continue to social distance and that we should also continue to repeatedly wash our hands in order to slow the virus.
There are a number of reasons why this has been such an important reminder, and here is why some people are beginning to assume that things can return to normal.
Vaccine Announcement
The fact that we have a number of vaccines on the horizon which are showing high protection rates of 90% and beyond, showcases just how brilliant our science and medical research community really is. Whilst this is great news of course, many people have wrongly assumed that this will spell the end of the pandemic. The first point to make here is that the vaccine hasn’t even been released yet. Secondly that vaccine will be given to health professionals and the vulnerable first, and thirdly it will be probably a year at least until that vaccine hits the general population. Positive yes, but not the end of the pandemic.
Length of Time
We know that this who have had the virus will develop antibodies which will then protect them from getting the virus again, but we have no idea how long those antibodies last for. Some people are taking the approach now that so many people have had the virus that surely there is higher levels of safety when we go outside. This is not the case at all and whilst we know that now there are millions of have had the virus, there are also millions who have not, and they are still in danger.
Inspired By Other Nations
Some people are looking to other nations, and assuming that they are able to act in the same way. Ultimately this is not the case at all and the reality is that each country is different from the next. We still don’t know how this virus will affect people from different parts of the world and we have absolutely no idea how some countries have managed to put a lid on it where so many failed. If you look at Thailand for example, with very few cases and which has fully returned to a normal life, we cannot compare that with the UK where the cases and the deaths are rising on a daily basis.
There is a great deal of positivity which we should be feeling and the reality is that whilst this has been a horrendous year, there are reasons to be hopeful. With this being said however, we have to make sure that this is something which we don’t assume to be over yet, there is still a long way to go and we should be making sure that we continue to follow guidelines and listen to the health care professionals.
