Many public health officials are predicting that COVID-19, which is called a pandemic, might become endemic. But what does that mean? Ideastream Public Media's Lisa Ryan reports.
At first, COVID-19 was classified as an epidemic. When it spread worldwide, it became a pandemic. Now, if it's something that we don't expect to get rid of, it will become endemic, which is looking more and more likely, says Summit County Health Commissioner Donna Skoda.
"When a disease becomes endemic, you expect it to be in a region or an area or a country."
The common cold and the flu are examples of endemic viruses And like colds and flu ---COVID circulates in all kinds of weather, is highly contagious, and can mutate to become more contagious.
Because it's is new however, Skoda says no one knows when exactly it will become endemic.