A 100% effective coronavirus cure? What Dr. Fauci says on the subject
Coronavirus has made this year more difficult for everyone around the world. Some countries are still on lockdown while others are starting to open up again. Either way, most people are waiting on a vaccine for COVID-19 as it might mean going back to a more familiar routine.
COVID-19 has been thoroughly researched since the first cases appeared, which has helped speed up the process of obtaining a vaccine. Hopefully, an effective vaccine can be developed soon enough.
There’s still the question about how effective a vaccine for COVID-19 would be. It would be ideal if the vaccine could guarantee 100% effectiveness, but how plausible is it? Here’s what Dr. Fauci has said about the vaccine.
How effective can the vaccine be?
As much as we wish a vaccine could save us from COVID-19, Dr. Fauci reminded us we might not be so lucky. Dr. Fauci reported that an effectiveness of 75% would be an amazing outcome for a vaccine and even just a 50-60% effectivity would be a great result.
Unfortunately, we cannot predict the exact effectiveness of a vaccine for COVID-19. However, we can expect COVID-19 to stay around for longer than other diseases like polio or smallpox. According to Dr. Fauci, it’s unlikely that COVID-19 will be completely eradicated soon.
This doesn’t mean COVID-19 will never be under control. We might start going back to normal but just as it happened with influenza, we’ll probably need to be extra cautious during winter.
What else do we need to get rid of COVID-19?
Getting an effective vaccine is only half of the work. The other half comes from cooperation from the public. For one, the vaccine is most likely not going to be 100% effective, which means some people who get vaccinated may still contract COVID-19.
On top of the effectiveness, it’s likely that a big part of the population in the U.S. won’t get vaccinated. Gallup conducted a poll suggesting one in three Americans would not accept getting a shot against COVID-19 – even if it were free.
Even if the majority of the U.S. population gets vaccinated, the remaining third who refuses the vaccine would still be at risk. So not only do we have to think about the effectiveness of a vaccine, but the willingness to control the disease as much as possible.
Don’t throw away your masks yet
Dr. Fauci continues to warn the population about the importance of wearing masks to avoid getting COVID-19. The New York Times is currently tracking the development of vaccines for COVID-19 all over the world, increasing the possibility of getting a working vaccine soon.
We can’t cry victory yet even if some places are starting to open up again, as it doesn’t mean we’re not at risk of contracting COVID-19 anymore. Dr. Fauci asked for more cooperation from states which have reported spikes as kids are starting to go back to school.
Dr. Fauci stated that another lockdown might not be necessary as long as security measures are taken seriously. Using masks & keeping at a safe distance is still key to avoid another extended period of quarantine.
Even after getting a vaccine, it’s important to remember there’s no definitive cure yet. By the looks of it, we’re going to need to keep wearing masks until next year.
Are vaccines the only cure?
Last month, the Henry Ford Health study showed patients who were administered Hydroxychloroquine were less likely to die from COVID-19. The results were published in the International Society of Infectious Diseases.
Later, members of the MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership published a review claiming the results from the Henry Ford Health study were incorrect. The journal also withdrew the original publication, claiming it didn’t meet the “expected standards”.
