It will therefore no longer be appropriate to speak of “waves” when a possible “COVID 6.0” comes, according to the expression of Dr. Weiss, but of an endemic situation in the same way as the flu. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
A return to post-pandemic normality is in sight, according to microbiologist and head of the Jewish General Hospital’s division of infectious diseases, Karl Weiss.
Invited by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, on Wednesday, Dr. Weiss drew up a rather optimistic state of the situation which suggests the measures which will henceforth be required to “live with the virus”, as is now the established expression.
Karl Weiss notes that the progressive deconfinement here as elsewhere does not have a major impact and it is time, he says, to stop evoking catastrophic scenarios in connection with this deconfinement, the progressive nature of which has precisely made it possible to maintain the downward trend in hospitalizations.
It will therefore no longer be appropriate to speak of “waves” when a possible “COVID 6.0” according to his expression comes, but of an endemic situation in the same way as the flu. He clarified, however, that the traditional concept of herd immunity no longer applies in the case of COVID. Massive exposure to the virus and vaccination of an overwhelming majority of the population means that people will likely continue to contract the virus, but will be less sick and hospitalized less often and there will no longer be a need to “shut down society” .
Moreover, he reported on a series of treatments for the disease that are in the works, which will greatly help reduce the impact of an infection among citizens.
According to him, however, we must avoid considering COVID as the new influenza. He recalls that COVID has more serious inflammatory effects than influenza, that it presents risks of what is now agreed to be called long COVID, that mortality is higher with this virus and that it is transmitted by aerosols, therefore over a much greater distance than influenza. It seems probable, according to him, that there will have to be booster vaccinations in the future, but these will probably be more targeted towards at-risk clienteles.
The latest wave has highlighted the need to add more flexibility to the Quebec hospital network, which has fewer beds per inhabitant than almost all of the developed countries. Karl Weiss also believes that it will be necessary to establish an early warning system, more democratic screening, possibly in the workplace, and outpatient clinics that would be dedicated solely to the treatment of COVID.