Johns Hopkins professor discusses the COVID-19 endgame

JACKSON, Tenn. — COVID-19 has been in our lives for nearly two years.

Since the first case in the U.S., and with vaccines mask mandates and social distancing, many are asking when is the endgame?

“We’re going to have to learn to be adaptable in our decisions. There is never going to be a pandemic mission accomplished day. We’re likely to see local outbreaks and perhaps winter surges for many years, if not for our lifetime,” said David Dowdy, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Experts at Johns Hopkins say as time continues, the virus will become more like the flu. Meaning, we’re more than likely going to see spikes of it every year.

“Nobody asks when is the end of the flu, for example. This is a disease that’s going to be with us for the foreseeable future. It’s going to come and go,” Dowdy said.

Although we’re nowhere near the end of COVID-19, Limaye says one the best things we can do is get vaccinated.

“People can still get COVID. There can still be breakthrough infections, but the great news is if you have been vaccinated, you are very much less likely. I think it’s 12 times to be hospitalized or have severe COVID, compared to those unvaccinated,” Limaye said.

Now that younger children are eligible for vaccination, this leaves some parents hesitant about their child’s vaccine status.

“I know it has been a long haul, and there’s been a lot of information, and I think parents had to deal with a lot of uncertainty. But again, my biggest recommendation is speak to someone that you trust so that you’re making an evidence-based decision as to whether or not to vaccinate your child,” Limaye said.

As of now, more than half of Madison County is vaccinated.

You can also find a vaccine near you by using this tool.

For more information on COVID-19, go to the CDC website, the Tennessee Department of Health website or call (877) 857-2945.

Additional COVID-19 information can be found in the “COVID-19” tab of the website.

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