People won't move around with masks on forever: American immunologist Anthony S Fauci

Warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is far from over and Omicron would not be the last variant, global health experts on Monday said a lot would depend on transmissibility and severity of the next mutants of the deadly virus. Speaking at a session on Covid-19 on the first day of the WEF's online Davos Agenda summit, famous American immunologist Anthony S Fauci also said while it was difficult to predict as yet what could be the new normal, he does not think that people will roam around with their masks on forever.

"Omicron is highly transmissible, but apparently not very pathogenic. While I hope that remains the case, but that would depend on what new variants emerge going forward," he said.

He also said there is a great deal of 'disinformation' around and that is entirely destructive to a comprehensive public health endeavour. He said endemicity means 'a non-disruptive presence, without elimination', but it cannot be said as yet whether an endemic stage is underway.


"It is very difficult to predict what the new normal would be like. I do not think the people would be walking around with masks on forever, but one new normal I would hope for is greater solidarity with each other. I also hope the new normal would include a strong memory about what a pandemic can do to us," he said. PTI