EDITOR NOTE: Similar to what Jerome Powell said about the “old economy” as something never to return, perhaps we can say the same about the pre-pandemic social environment--that it, too, is something we may never see again, at least for some time. The World Health Organization made a statement earlier this week that vaccines, however effective, may at best “complement” existing anti-pandemic restrictions, but they may not “replace” them. This means quarantines, masks, social distancing and other measures will have to continue. Might lockdowns and economic disruptions also be part of the new post-pandemic lifestyle? If so, how might you position your portfolio for this new reality?
The head of the World Health Organization has suggested that coronavirus restrictions will continue even after a vaccine has been made widely available.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the comments on Twitter after news broke of several new vaccines said to be effective in fighting COVID-19 coming closer to fruition.
“Since the beginning of the #COVID19 pandemic, we knew that a vaccine would be essential for bringing the pandemic under control. But it’s important to emphasise that a vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them,” said Ghebreyesus.
Since the beginning of the #COVID19 pandemic, we knew that a vaccine would be essential for bringing the pandemic under control. But it’s important to emphasise that a vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them. #EB147 #ACTogether
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 16, 2020
He went on to add that quarantines, surveillance, contact tracing and other measures would all be continued even after vaccine uptake becomes widespread.
Initial supply of #COVID19 vaccines will be limited, so #healthworkers, older people & other at-risk populations will be prioritised. That will hopefully reduce the number of deaths & enable health systems to cope, but the virus will still have a lot room to move. #EB147
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 16, 2020
A vaccine on its own will not end the #COVID19 pandemic. We will still need to continue:
-Surveillance
-Testing, isolating & caring for cases
-Tracing & quarantining contacts
-Engaging communities
-Encouraging individuals to be careful #ACTogether #EB147— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 16, 2020
As we have exhaustively highlighted, numerous other prominent individuals have asserted that rolling lockdowns, mask wearing, social distancing and other restrictions are here to stay after the pandemic is over.
In his book Covid-19: The Great Reset, World Economic Forum globalist Klaus Schwab asserts that the world will “never” return to normal, despite him admitting that coronavirus “doesn’t pose a new existential threat.”
A senior U.S. Army official also said that mask wearing and social distancing will become permanent, while CNN’s international security editor Nick Paton Walsh asserted that the mandatory wearing of masks will become “permanent,” “just part of life,” and that the public would need to “come to terms with it.”
Commenting on the issue, Joseph Massey said Ghebreyesus’ statement re-affirmed the fact that COVID lockdowns are more about “social engineering” than ending a pandemic.
“I’m not a conspiracy theorist, nor am I a COVID denier, but people like this make it difficult not to believe that lockdowns are more about social engineering than they are about stopping the virus,” he tweeted. “A vaccine is not a “complement” to being isolated and muzzled like an animal.”
Originally posted on Summit News