'Variants are going to continually be generated by this virus'

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/27/health/new-covid-variant-omicron-b11529-wellness/index.html

 'Variants are going to continually be generated by this virus'

"We understand that people are concerned. The good thing is that we have monitoring systems around the world to detect these variants very quickly. This variant was detected a few weeks ago, and already scientists are sharing research with us, information with us, so that we can take action," Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid-19, said in a video statement Friday.

"What's really important as an individual is to lower your exposure," Van Kerkhove said. "These proven public health measures have never been more important: distancing, wearing of a mask, making sure that it's over your nose and mouth with clean hands, making sure you avoid crowded spaces, be in rooms where there's good ventilation, and when it's your turn, get vaccinated."

And as the world learns more about the Omicron variant, current guidance on mitigation measures -- such as wearing masks -- could change.

What the end of the Covid-19 pandemic could look like

Even as the pandemic nears its end and the coronavirus becomes endemic -- meaning, it could have a constant presence but not affect an alarmingly large number of people -- it's still likely that new variants will continue to emerge.

"New variants are going to continually be generated by this virus, most of which will be inconsequential. It will remain an important task, however, to characterize and track new variants to determine their significance," Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, wrote in an email to CNN on Friday.

"There will never be a time when there is a zero COVID threat as the virus transitions to endemicity," Adalja wrote. "Once the virus is tamed — by losing the ability to threaten hospital capacity through high levels of population immunity and treatments — I think public health recommendations will be more relaxed, though some people may voluntarily choose to continue to use them in high risk contexts."