Denmark researchers refute WHO message claiming 2022 might be end of COVID-19 pandemic

WHO's claim that 2022 might be the end of the COVD-19 pandemic has met with criticism by Danish researchers who believe that the coronavirus will continue to have an impact on the daily lives of people long after the pandemic. As per the reports of Sputnik, they stated that the goal should be to develop such strong immunity that it will allow them to treat COVID-19 in the same way that they would treat other known diseases.

In his New Year's message, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that if all goes well, 2022 might be the year the pandemic ends. However, he also emphasised that in order for that to happen, most people in all countries would have to be vaccinated. Danish researchers, on the other hand, believe his optimistic claim is unrealistic. Eskild Petersen, who is the professor of infectious diseases at Aarhus University, Denmark speculated that the globe will have to live with the pandemic for several years.

Coronavirus will never be eradicated

Lars Østergaard, the chief physician at Aarhus University Hospital and professor, has suggested that the coronavirus would have an impact on daily life long after the pandemic is gone, stating that the pandemic may be coming to an end but that does not imply that corona will vanish from daily life, according to Norwegian network NRK. He further said that he believes that the coronavirus will never be eradicated and what they want is for the public to have such strong immunity that they can deal with it in the same way that they deal with other diseases.

Denmark is currently experiencing a huge COVID wave. Right now, the COVID cases in Denmark is 814,757 with 3,287 deaths. Eskild Petersen stated that Danes know that they have to isolate themselves and notify friends and acquaintances that they have been infected, after testing positive for COVID, according to TV2. 

Denmark has also shuttered theatres, cinemas, concert halls

Earlier Denmark health ministry announced that all foreigners and non-residents entering Denmark after December 27 must have a negative COVID test, even if they are vaccinated, according to Euro News. Denmark has also shuttered theatres, cinemas, concert halls, amusement parks, museums and art galleries as a result of a record-breaking increase of COVID-19 infections caused by the Omicron variant.

Image: AP