How Will We Live With COVID, Truly?

Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash

We have to live with this virus.

Many of us worked this out in March 2020, but some experts still had hope that we could eradicate SARS-CoV-2. Others knew from the start: Just like the Spanish flu, this was going to end with a new human endemic disease.

Now we’re being told we have to live with COVID-19, which is leading some people to think that we’ll have to wear masks and endure periodical or partial lockdowns forever.

How will we live with COVID-19?

Here’s some likely outcomes.

Mass Testing Will Cease, but Home Testing May Be a Thing

Once we have the pandemic under control, we’re going to stop yelling at people to get tested for SARS-CoV-2.

If you’re vaccinated or have had repeated infections (or both), then you’re likely to get the sniffles. The advice will be the same as with any other respiratory infection: Stay home until you feel better. (Sadly, employers will go back to not allowing this and we need to fight that fight).

But if you have more severe symptoms, then you may take an at-home test for COVID-19. This at-home test may in fact be a dual test…it will test for both COVID-19 and influenza.