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COVID-19 Omicron Variant: Is it the ENDemic?

by Kevyn Gohu
January 18, 2022

Is COVID-19’s Omicron Variant the ENDemic we’ve been waiting for? Is it the sliver of hope that our kids will be able to go out again without fear?

Alpha, Beta, Theta, Delta, Omicron, and Ihu — Ate Rona‘s clearly not content with one look. But many medical research institutes have been saying that COVID-19’s Omicron variant’s possibly the silver lining in this whole pandemic. Instead of reinforcing the pandemic, it’s ushering the era of an endemic. But what’s the difference between a pandemic and an endemic? And most of all, what does this mean for our families and their futures?

Pandemic vs Endemic: What’s the difference?

COVID-19 became a pandemic because of how it spread all across the world. Countries had hospitals bursting with patients and if someone had it in China, someone was bound to get it in France. It eventually spread like wildfire especially in the more crowded and urban cities which is how Metro Manila got hit so hard in the first place. With it being the capital and where all the work is, it’s no surprise COVID-19 spread like wildfire. Numbers fluctuated; from 100’s of cases to 1000’s. Pandemics never stick to one stable number of victims.

Endemic’s on the other hand are a little more predictable and stable. It’s like they have a quota, like how Malaria hits an average of 3 million or so a year. But the good news about it is that it’s usually restrained in one area. Omicron didn’t seem to have that ability to spread until quarantine rules were broken. The new Ihu Variant hasn’t made its way to the Philippines (Thank God!) and it seems to be transmitted only via a person. It then proves one thing: COVID-19’s showing signs that it can be contained and is slowly becoming endemic.

How can we force COVID-19 and its future variants to become and remain endemic?

The Omicron Variant seems to have an end goal and that’s to infect everybody. But it seems we’ve taken a step in a good direction by getting vaccinated and boosted when we have the chance. We parents and adults are the priority since we’re the ones always moving around, grabbing groceries, working, etc. If it’s our kids we’re worried about getting cabin fever and FOMO, get them vaccinated or boosted. We need that herd immunity and the faster we get it, the faster we can return back to the pre-COVID-19 days with the former being an endemic instead.

May COVID-19’s Omicron Variant mark the ENDemic

As long as we continue pressing hard to get everyone vaccinated and boosted, COVID-19 will become endemic. We actually nearly achieved it with our cases being approximately 200 a day. That’s a lot less compared to the thousands we used to get. Based on the Department of Health’s readings, most cases are either mild or asymptomatic which means we’re reaching the endemic. Our kids will be able to go out again and we’ll be able to see our loved ones again without fear. As Iya Villania shared, we parents have to prepare for battle with COVID-19. That way, our kids can live in a future where COVID-19 will just be a thing of the past.