To wonder when the pandemic will end

[cuppateaandabiccie]

We are now over two years into it, many are vaccinated, many have had the virus and there are treatments and medication for it.

We no longer have any restrictions here in the UK, AIBU to think is this even a pandemic even more now that so many people have a good level of immunity to it now and it’s more a mild illness now?

I’m actually surprised we haven’t heard anything from the WHO about making a declaration on the pandemic being ended.

I do wonder when this will be?

… and what the criteria is for the pandemic ending

The definition of a pandemic is a disease which is prevalent across a country or the world.

Fact is that although there is greater immunity and symptoms are milder for the most part, COVID is still rife across the world,and as such is stil a pandemic.

It will need to drop to a certain level before pandemic status is reduced to endemic level.

I think there is a set criteria for a pandemic becoming endemic. Presumably not every country in the world is that the defined stage for that though, atm. Here’s a McKinsey article from March on the subject.
www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/when-will-the-covid-19-pandemic-end

What would be the significance of the WHO making a declaration? It's not any kind of thing as such, nothing changes because of anything the WHO says. Each country will continue to make their own decisions as they have all along, no one is charge of the world. I guess I don't quite get what you're asking

It is nowhere near over. Many people have it now.

It's far from over. We have about a fifth of our workforce off with it, including me. We are struggling to function in the nhs.

North Korea look like they're about to be hammered by it so we won't be officially out of it for a while. I do think the worst is over for countries with a decent vaccination take up though.

I’m wondering does anyone have any predictions as to when it may be officially “ended”?

In response to @IcedOatLatte, it doesn’t make any difference to me as such, I just find it interesting to know when and what it will take for the pandemic to be declared over

There won't be a nice tidy ending. It'll be around for the foreseeable. For countries with good vaccination coverage from decent vaccines it's impact is much, much less at this stage.

Yes, I’d say the virus is with us forever, but surely there will be a day when it’s not a genuine concern anymore and it’s not spreading from country to country as much that they will just declare it over?

Sure with the Swine flu pandemic, it started before summer 2009 (I think) and ended in August 2010?