An infection becomes endemic in a population when it is constantly maintained at a baseline level. That happens when the circulation of the virus is taken under control and therefore becomes easier to monitor. A disease may be endemic in some areas and not in others, as in the case of malaria, for example.

Other endemic diseases reappear in waves in certain seasons, as the flu does in winter. Covid-19 for example will likely return in waves. We have already developed effective vaccines against severe forms, and those will have to be adapted to new variants as is the case with the flu. At some point, new treatments will likely be developed, enabling Covid-19 patients to receive care similar to that administered in the case of other respiratory viral infections.

So Covid-19 will become a disease like any other? Is it really wise to drop restrictions so quickly? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠Should I be cleaning my belly button?⁠

⁠What do you get better at with age?⁠

⁠Why has astrology come back into fashion?⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 28/02/22

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