Coronavirus could be part of daily life for the next three years and may not disappear even if a vaccine is found, a leading scientist has warned.
Professor Hendrik Streeck, who is a prominent German virologist, predicted the world would see regular outbreaks of Covid-19 until at least 2023.
The virologist led the pandemic response in Heinsberg, one of Germany’s worst-hit districts, using the town of Gangelt to study how the virus spread and how it could be contained.
He told the Daily Record: ‘This virus is not disappearing. It has now become part of our daily lives.
‘It will still be here in three years and we have to find a way to live with it.’
The scientist said social distancing would still be the most effective way to contain coronavirus in the years ahead.
He predicted large outbreaks would be driven by ‘super-spreading’ events such as house parties.
‘We know that social distancing, not gathering in big groups and covering your face can have a profound impact on the infection,’ he said.
‘These are simple measures that can help stop the spread if you have large levels of infection.’
Professor Streeck added that it is ‘probable’ a vaccine would be found but warned it may not be produced quickly.
He said: ‘A vaccine may be the answer but we don’t know.
‘It’s probable that we will have a vaccine but it may be next year or longer.’
The World Health Organisation has previously said it hopes the pandemic will be over in two years.
That prediction was based on the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 taking two years to overcome.
The flu of 1918 killed at least 50 million people, while Covid-19 has so far caused about 880,000 deaths, according to the John Hopkins University tally.
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