‘COVID-19 will be around for 10 years; more outbreaks likely’

Virendra Pandit

New Delhi: Vaccine, at best, seems to be a temporary relief.

As the world races to start a humongous immunization drive against COVID-19 next month, the chief of a leading vaccine-maker has said the deadly pandemic will be around for the next 10 years, and that more outbreaks of contagion are likely, triggering uncertainties about the results of the global campaign.

The statement of Ugur Sahin, CEO of BioNTech, comes at a time when various governments are struggling to convince pressure and interest groups to support the vaccination drive. Some of them are opposing it on cultural or religious grounds. BioNTech is collaborating with Pfizer for a coronavirus vaccine candidate. Additionally, issues like storage of vaccines at required temperatures, transportation in time, and making it reach the end-user are yet to be resolved.

He told a press conference that he expects the virus to be around for the next 10 years. But he sounded hopeful that a ‘new normal’ would set in by the end of summer 2021.

When asked about when he believes the world will return to normal, Sahin said, “We need a new definition of ‘normal’. The virus will stay with us for the next 10 years. We need to get used to the fact there’ll be more outbreaks.”

The ‘new normal’, he explained, would mean that countries do not have to go under lockdown. “This winter, we will not have an impact on the infection numbers. But we must have an impact so that next winter can be the new normal,” he said.

Asked whether vaccinating 60-70 percent of the global population would prevent future outbreaks, Sahin said that if the virus mutates, a higher uptake of the vaccine would be required to return to normal.

BioNTech is aiming to find if the vaccine is effective against the new strain of coronavirus discovered in the UK.

Sahin said his company would need another two weeks to see if the vaccine can stop the latest mutant coronavirus strain. Scientifically, the immune response generated by the vaccine can possibly deal with the virus.

BioNTech vaccine contains over 1,270 amino acids and only nine of them are changed in the mutant virus, he said, adding that 99 percent of the protein is still the same.

The new coronavirus strain has caused panic around the globe as its patients have been found in many countries. More than 40 countries have suspended their flights to and from the UK. In India, separate SOPs have been issued for passengers who have arrived from the country.

The UK passengers are also rigorously tracked and tested to ensure there is no coronavirus symptom.

Meanwhile, a separate mutant strain has reportedly emerged in South Africa.