Gamaleya Center virologist Altstein: pandemic could end in 2022 
COVID-19 pandemic could end in 2022 if omkyron strain will be less pathogenic than delta, and people will be more actively vaccinated. Such a deadline was named by the virologist, doctor of medical sciences, professor, chief employee of the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Anatoly Altstein, Ura.ru reports.
“We will defeat this epidemic if we wear masks normally, distance ourselves and get vaccinated … If we can approach this, then we can close the pandemic in 2022. If we are vaccinated, the omicron will not go far, “Altstein said.
According to him, despite the fact that everyone has known about the omicron strain for a long time, no one death of patients infected with this option. More will be known about the new strain in the near future, the virologist said.
600 people died in South Africa in November. But from what strain they died is unknown. But 600 people is three times less than died in previous months, “the specialist said.
Altstein stressed that the adaptation of vaccines to the new strain may be delayed. He considers it necessary to conduct preclinical and clinical trials of drugs, and then to establish their production.
Earlier, the Gamalea Center assessed the future of a new strain of coronavirus. According to Altstein, the Omicron strain will not be able to spread widely until the New Year, since the virus will take about six months for this, the specialist believes. He explained that the delta variant appeared in the fall of 2020, but spread later.