The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lifestyle of billions of people from all over the world, as lots of activities that were common had to be canceled, rescheduled, or altered significantly to respect social distancing rules and prevent the spread of the virus.
Lots of people are looking forward to the moment when social distancing rules will be lifted, and they will be able to go to sports events, concerts, or enjoy a dinner in a crowded restaurant without the need to take precautions or feel like they are risking their lives for small pleasures.
Distant dreams
According to most experts, it is impossible to say when social distancing restrictions could be lifted since there are a few conditions that have to be achieved, including herd immunity. Immunity can be reached with the help of vaccines or a sufficient amount of people that become infected.
Even if a vaccine is created, it has to be really effective in facilitating the removal of restrictions. If it works on half of the population, but the other half can become infected, the need for distancing will remain since people who are susceptible will have to be protected.
Persistent pandemic
Many people might believe that the release of a vaccine will be a wonder cure that will bring the end of the pandemic in a short amount of time, but this is not the case. Even under ideal conditions, doctors would need months to vaccinate a sufficient number of people.
It is also important to take into account the fact that some people will opt to skip the vaccine for a variety of reasons, ranging from the fear of needles to the belief that it isn’t useful or that it might have serious adverse effects.
Only time will tell what will happen in the long run, but for now, social distancing remains a must.