Commentary COVID-19 is only one form of coronavirus. Other common human coronaviruses include types 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1. These usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Note that the vast majority of persons who contract COVID-19 experience only mild or no symptoms. This points to an interesting question. When will COVID-19 cease to cause a pandemic and become just another endemic virus with which human society co-exists? Soon, I believe. There are numerous examples in the last century or more, starting with the 1918 flu pandemic. It was caused by an A/H1N1 influenza virus. More recent examples from influenza: the 1957 flu pandemic caused by an A/H2N2 influenza virus, the 1968 flu pandemic from an A/H3N2 influenza virus, and the 2009 “swine flu” pandemic from an A/H1N1 influenza virus. These respiratory viruses were introduced into the human population, swept across the globe, and then …
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