Covid: the “pandemic phase” to come to a close in 2022, according to Moderna French CEO Stéphane Bancel

Published by Caroline de Sortiraparis · Photos by My de Sortiraparis · Published on July 6th, 2021 at 03:34 p.m.
While the Delta variant is spreading in Europe, many people wonder about the evolution of the coronavirus-related health crisis. In an interview given to Le Point, Moderna French CEO Stéphane Bancel said “the pandemic phase” of Covid-19 “will be over in late 2022”, adding yet “the virus will not disappear from the planet”.

When will the Covid-19 pandemic end? Should we fear an epidemic resurgence in the weeks to come? Will the virus disappear some day? As many questions specialists and scientists try to answer to. But to date, there are different opinions. Although some hope to be done with the health crisis by this Fall, others fear a new wave this summer or this Fall.

As for Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel, he is even more pessimistic. In an interview with Le Point, he predicts “there will be variants even more complicated to manage than the Delta in the semesters to come”, considering the “pandemic” phase of Covid-19 is to come to a close in 2022. “The pandemic period, of the quick evolution of the virus and almost non-stop global contamination, will be over by late 2022. In 2022, there will be more vaccines on the planet than people willing to get vaccinated or a booster shot”, he explained.

He also thinks for all that, “the virus will not disappear from the planet”. Furthermore, 2023 will open to “an endemic period” with contamination “clusters” that will persist.

Still in this interview, Bancel states “during the pandemic period, namely until 2022, frequent booster shots will be needed. […] Then, in endemic period, namely from 2023, less frequents booster shots will be required”.

The French government recently said they are considering “third vaccination after the summer” but “for elderly people in nursing homes” only.

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