McKinsey&Company
Four elements to watch
.
| • |
Relaxed restrictions. Governments in Europe, North America, and Asia are reluctant to impose lockdowns on a weary public and are therefore tolerating higher numbers of COVID-19 cases. With Omicron spreading more quickly than previous variants but causing milder symptoms among the vaccinated, more countries are abandoning restrictive measures put in place to control the pandemic. Health officials are forgoing contact tracing, reducing isolation times, and allowing large crowds to gather, paving the way to a future when COVID-19 is treated like an everyday illness. [WSJ] |
|
|
| • |
A startling statistic. More than 50% of Europeans will catch the Omicron variant by March if infections keep climbing at their current rate, according to the World Health Organization. Countries in Europe are beginning to consider managing COVID-19 like an endemic disease, similar to the flu. Even as some European countries are seeing record levels of infection, hospitalization and fatality rates are lower. Public officials are focusing on keeping schools and economies functioning even as COVID-19 cases continue to grow. [Bloomberg] |
|
|
| • |
Why it matters. Few locations are likely to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19. This is due to the highly transmissible nature of the most recent variants including Omicron, continuing vaccine hesitancy, and current public-health measures providing incomplete protection against transmission. Most societies, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and much of Europe, will need to learn to live with COVID-19, at least over the medium term. |
|
|
| • |
Realistic goals. Societies will need to set goals for what the new normal will look like. Defining that in a world where, for two years now, societies focused on daily cases and test positivity is a change that will need to be carefully communicated. It will also mean that stakeholders—including governments, employers, health systems, and individuals—will each have important roles to play as we work together to reclaim our lives. Learn more about the four elements needed to manage endemic COVID-19.
|
|
|
| — Edited by Katherine Tam |
|
This email contains information about McKinsey’s research, insights, services, or events. By opening our emails or clicking on links, you agree to our use of cookies and web tracking technology. For more information on how we use and protect your information, please review our privacy policy.
|
|
You received this email because you subscribed to the On Point newsletter.
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007
|
|
|
|
