“When it comes to COVID-19, we are optimistic that the end of the beginning is near.” Bill Gates
Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft Founder Bill Gates believes that we will get COVID-19 under control in calendar 2021. What he means by “under control” is that America and the world will be heading back to something approaching normal again.
Gates is optimistic that the number of cases and deaths will start to go down—at least in wealthy countries—and life will be much closer to normal than it is now for two main reasons:
- One is that masks, social distancing, and other interventions can slow the spread of the virus and save lives while vaccines are being rolled out.
- The other reason is that in the spring of 2021, the vaccines and treatments will start reaching the scale where they’ll have a global impact.
In Gates’ view, the coronavirus is somewhat seasonal. He suggests that once the Northern Hemisphere gets into summer, the numbers should go way down, and he expects that countries will not experience another COVID-19 wave in the fall.
He stresses that vaccinations by the fall should be “bearing the brunt” of ending the pandemic. He feels that there will still be some COVID restrictions on public gatherings, because, as “long as the disease is out there in other countries, you can still get big chains of infection anywhere on the globe”.
But if we get the vaccination levels up within the communities and across the globe this fall, all the schools will be able to reopen under some protocol. Moreover, entertainment, travel and hospitality will be open. And, the economy will be on the mend in a big way. The good news according to Bill Gates is that the pandemic, as bad as it’s been, the end is in sight.
“Humans have never made more progress on any disease in a year than the world did on COVID-19 this year”, Gates wrote in a recent Gatesnote. “Under normal circumstances, creating a vaccine can take 10 years. This time, multiple vaccines were created in less than one year.”
One of the benefits of being 65 is that I’m eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. I got my first dose this week, and I feel great. Thank you to all of the scientists, trial participants, regulators, and frontline healthcare workers who got us to this point. pic.twitter.com/67SIfrG1Yd
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 22, 2021
The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has invested more than $1.75 billion in the fight against COVID-19. Most of that funding has gone toward producing and procuring crucial medical supplies. For example, the foundation backed researchers developing new COVID-19 treatments including monoclonal antibodies, and they worked with partners to ensure that these drugs are formulated in a way that’s easy to transport and use in the poorest parts of the world so they benefit people everywhere. Which is pretty remarkable—especially considering that COVID-19 was a virtually unknown pathogen at the beginning of 2020 and how rigorous the process is for proving a vaccine’s safety and efficacy. The vaccine still had to meet strict guidelines before being approved.
This has been a year unlike any other in our lifetimes. In our new Annual Letter, Melinda and I talk about how we can turn the hard-won lessons of the pandemic into a healthier, more equal future for all. https://t.co/Zt42aWl86x
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) January 27, 2021
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