Can COVID-19 be considered as 'endemic'?

After two years of COVID-19, many Pakistanis are using the term 'endemic' as a statement of optimism that public health restrictions could be lifted and the virus can be absorbed as a part of daily life.

Nowadays, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Pakistan surged dramatically throughout Pakistan. In Lahore positivity rate of COVID-19 jumped from 15.25 per cent to 20.58 per cent in a single day, according to the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, Punjab. Moreover, Islamabad's positivity percentage rose slightly to 17.13 per cent recently, while Karachi's was the second-most affected city with 27.92 per cent positivity. 

COVID-19 variant Omicron, which is highly contagious, is causing the fifth wave to sweep across Pakistan, causing an increase in the positivity ratio for COVID-19 in important Cities of Pakistan, including Karachi and Lahore.

Aris Katzourakis, Professor, the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, a geneticist and professor of evolution and genomics, expressed that it's not a secret that the term 'endemic' had indeed been abused a lot during this pandemic. Many of the erroneous assumptions led to a false sense of security.

As far as endemicity is concerned, he argued that the idea that it is both mild and unavoidable is just erroneous. He further cautioned that this method puts humanity at risk for a long future afflicted by disease, including a sudden escalation in outbreaks. It also gives the impression that the pandemic is winding down in Canada and other developed nations.

COVID-19 is not endemic, according to the experts. It is still a pandemic issue. The term "endemic" refers to a virus that has established a long-term presence in a particular area, rather than the ups and downs like COVID-19.

Katzourakis define endemicity as an equilibrium between a virus' natural replication and the population's built-in immunity, which results in an unending number of cases in the community.

Antibodies are developed in two ways: through vaccination and recovery from an illness that has occurred in the natural setting. Dr Raywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist at the University of Ottawa, explained that the virus's reproduction number stands constant in an endemic area, so it means that it's not dropping or increasing.

He asserted that the disease's prevalence had nothing to do with its severity. The UNICEF reports that malaria is one of the most lethal infections for young children in many parts of the world where it is endemic. Politically, the word "endemic" tends to be linked with "We're done with this and let's move on," Deonandan added. Both Deonandan and Katzourakis agreed that the current level of COVID-19 is unmanageable for healthcare systems. 
 
According to Deonandan, many people use the term "endemic" to refer to COVID-19. He explained that this is the point at which a condition bothers healthcare professionals constantly.

Global immunisation is attainable, according to Deonandan, if affluent states promote it. According to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation, the "acute phase" of the pandemic could finish this year if a global target of 70 per cent immunisation is attained.
 
"You cannot solve a global problem locally," Deonandan said.
 
In unvaccinated countries, coronavirus spread cannot be controlled — and that's where new variants arise and then rapidly travel.
 
COVID-19 propagation is uncontrollable in nations where people have not been inoculated, and this is where new strains appear and spread aggressively. According to Deonandan, when specialists help other countries control COVID, there won't be any new varieties appearing.

The governments of all the sovereign states and Non-Profit-Organisations should ponder over it and enlighten people to take precautions against it. Considering the thoughts of an ordinary individual of labelling COVID-19 as an 'endemic' could lead to detrimental repercussions for all humanity. Experts warned and cautioned individuals not to term it as an endemic.