It seems to all of us that a long time has passed since the beginning of the pandemic. And now, when life seems to be generally the same as it was before it appeared, we wonder: is it really over?

In mid-September, the director of the World Health Organization made the most optimistic statement about the disease that has claimed more than six million lives: it is not over, but the end of the pandemic is near.

And the US president was even more frank: “the pandemic is over,” Joe Biden declared a few days later. But while Americans enjoyed hearing from their president, the new coronavirus continued to kill 4-500 of them every day.

As of late October, thousands of new cases are still being reported in the US every day. WHO warns that a new wave of the pandemic may occur in Europe.

What is a pandemic?

A definition unanimously accepted by all countries, health organizations and leaders does not exist. The word itself comes from the Greek: pan (which means all) and demos (people), so a pandemic can affect almost anyone. Other definitions refer to geographic areas (countries, continents), entire countries and regions, or the entire planet.

Definitions are not precise. What does “several continents” or “an entire region” mean? And how widespread does a disease have to be to be considered a pandemic? And even if a single definition were agreed upon, no single person, ministry, or health organization has the authority to declare that a pandemic has begun or ended.

The World Health Organization, a UN agency, declared Covid-19 an international emergency in January 2020 and began talking about a pandemic three months later. Everyone followed her.

When does it become endemic?

Some say that the pandemic is over when everyone behaves as one: there are no more precautions, restrictions and behaviors like in the previous period.

If that were the case, those fed up with restrictions and precautions, or those skeptical of their usefulness, could ignore the guidelines and create the impression that the pandemic is over, while the world is still reporting many new cases and deaths. That is, the stage at which we are still.

Many pandemics eventually become endemic, meaning the infection is still present but predictable and the number of cases and deaths no longer peaks. It is important to learn to live with the virus, considering at least the flu or cold.

The transition from pandemic to endemic is likely to be recorded only after it has occurred.

What should we do until then?

Perhaps the specific end date of the pandemic doesn’t even matter. But what is important is the number of new infections, accompanied by suffering and death, as well as measures to limit them. No one can say whether the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere will bring a drop in cases, a continuation of the current situation or a new wave as more people huddle at home.

That’s why common sense precautions still make sense, such as:

• Modern vaccination with available doses;

• As much activity as possible in the fresh air and avoiding crowding indoors, especially in areas with a large or higher number of cases of the disease;

• Wearing masks in high-risk situations such as indoor gatherings and public transport. The fact that masks are no longer mandatory does not mean that they should be abandoned altogether.

• In case of a positive test for Covid-19 or symptoms, isolation and consultation with a doctor;

Instead of a conclusion

It’s possible that eventually experts will arrive at a standard definition of a pandemic and how to declare it beginning or ending. But now pandemic policies (including financial aid) and efforts to increase vaccination coverage are complicated by assumptions that the pandemic is over, when it is not yet.

There is still much uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, only one thing is clear: we can’t declare it finished just yet.

Sources: Harvard Health, The New York Times, Reuters.