For example, health officials can predict each year when the flu season will start and end, what strains may appear and how many cases may occur. SARS-CoV-2 hasn’t shown a discernible seasonable pattern.
“We would all agree that we’re not in a place where we can predict how many cases there will be and what the locations of those case numbers will be,” Justman said. “We don’t know what’s coming.”
An endemic virus doesn’t disrupt people’s lives, Althoff said, and that’s not the case with COVID-19.
When people test positive for the coronavirus, they have to isolate from family members, quarantine, wear a mask and avoid travel. Sometimes a person is pulled out of school or works from home and must notify close contacts.
“Is the virus still disrupting our lives? Absolutely it is,” Althoff said.
Although the virus hasn’t entered an endemic phase, health experts hope the country is on its way. The first step is to prevent severe illness, so a surge in cases doesn’t lead to more hospitalizations and deaths, Justman said.
The best way to do this is for Americans to stay up to date with their vaccines and practice mitigation measures to keep vulnerable loved ones safe.
“I’m hopeful that we’re approaching the point where we can disconnect the surge in cases from a surge in hospitalizations,” Justman said. “That’s where we want to go.”
Contributing: Karen Weintraub and Mike Stucka, USA TODAY
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.
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