Coronavirus may become seasonal infection in future: US Scientist

New York : A US scientist on Wednesday claimed that there is a high possibility that the novel coronavirus may become seasonal flu in future, focusing on the urgent need of developing a vaccine before the next outbreak.

Anthony Fauci, a lead researcher at the National Institutes of Health, in a briefing, highlighted how the virus, that spurred during the cold weather in China, is now beginning to find its root in the southern hemisphere which is at the brink of winters.

During his address, he said it is mandatory to find a vaccine as the current outbreak is so large that its second hit would become uncontrollable.

While there is no official confirmation that the virus gets killed in the hot weather, it is noted that it does extra harm in the cold weather conditions. The probable reasons are that respiratory droplets remain airborne for longer in when the temperature is lower, and that cold weather weakens a person’s immunity.

So moving to hot weather places may not save you but it decreases the speed of transmission.

Scientists around the world are working day and night to find a vaccine that can be used against COVID-19 infection. Until now, two vaccines have entered human trials – one in the US and another in China – but they are still at least a year away from deployment.

Meanwhile, the drugs used in most treatments for coronavirus – from anti-HIV drugs to antimalarial chloroquine – are ones that increase the immunity of a person, because that is what the virus targets.

Till date Coronavirus has claimed more than 19,500 lives and infected over 400,000 people across the world.