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Endemic to the pandemic? Modern chairs say it could happen this year Coronavirus pandemic News

The founder of Moderna told Bloomberg News that 2022 could be the year when the pandemic enters its endemic phase.

The pandemic could begin to move into an endemic phase in 2022, although countries will need to be vigilant as the omicron variant spreads, according to founder Noubar Afeyan Moderna Inc.

Although some countries are slowly beginning to treat Covid as an endemic disease, like the flu, officials at the World Health Organization say it is too early to make that call as cases escalate.

“2022 may be the year when the pandemic enters an endemic phase, but it depends on what really happens and the decisions that are made around the world,” Afeyan said in an interview with Francine Lacquera on Friday with Bloomberg Television. Although omicron is highly transmissible, “it has a lesser effect on the severity of the disease,” he said.

Moderna’s specific omicron booster shot could go into human testing within a week, CEO Stephane Bancel said, echoing comments made earlier this week. The CEO said he hoped another impeller would be needed in the fall, and it is likely to have an omicron-adapted component.

“We’ll be ready to start our tests in a week,” Afeyan said Friday. “Whether we need a promoter in the spring or the fall, we will have to work with officials around the world to fix it.”

Shares of Modern were down 3.3% on New York’s pre-market trading.

Modernak, Pfizer Inc. and together with its partner BioNTech SE, Covid-19 developed highly effective vaccines based on RNA messenger technology. Modern reported earlier this week that it had signed $ 18.5 billion in vaccine purchase agreements, along with $ 3.5 billion in other options, including booster shots.




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