Covid could become seasonal epidemic by winter, says German expert

Christian Drosten says disease likely to recur for several years but be kept under control by vaccine top-ups

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The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to become an epidemic by the autumn or winter, which can be expected to recur every year but be controlled by vaccine boosters, according to a leading German virologist.

Christian Drosten has said he believes the number of coronavirus cases will rise after the summer but that the disease will be controllable. While a rise was likely to be described as a fourth wave", he said, in all probability it would mark the beginning of a new, endemic phase" or a seasonal epidemic" that would recur for several years but could be kept under control by vaccine top-ups.