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The year 2020 will go down in history as the COVID-19 year. Starting with reports of a mysterious lung disease in Wuhan, we now have the approval of the first vaccines. And despite all the progress, an end to this pandemic is still a long way off. Let’s take a look back at the year.

About a year ago, reports emerged of a mysterious lung disease in Wuhan, China. The trigger was identified as a novel coronavirus, likely originating from bats and transmitted to humans through intermediate hosts like pangolins. In March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global health emergency.

In March 2020, the world nearly came to a standstill. The rapid spread of the coronavirus led to lockdown measures worldwide. Air travel was severely restricted, borders were closed, schools and businesses had to shut down, and public life was heavily limited. The lockdown affected almost all areas of society and had far-reaching consequences for the economy, the education sector, and social life. Throughout the year, measures were repeatedly eased and tightened depending on case numbers.

Less than a year later, significant progress has been made in vaccine development. Russia was the first country to approve vaccines. However, this approval bypassed Phase III trials, resulting in a lack of reliable data on side effects and efficacy. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by BioNTech/Pfizer was approved in the United Kingdom, and vaccinations have been underway since early December. In the United States, vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna have been approved. Today, the European Medicines Agency has approved the mRNA vaccine from BioNTech/Pfizer, and vaccinations are expected to begin in Austria in December.

To achieve herd immunity and effectively curb the spread of the virus, a sufficiently high willingness to vaccinate is essential. The current level of vaccination willingness is still uncertain, but it is the responsibility of each individual to get vaccinated and contribute to combating the pandemic.

Although some restrictions have been eased and businesses and contact-intensive services like hair salons have reopened, we must remain cautious. With an expected increase in cases during the upcoming Christmas season, it is important to adhere to current regulations and find alternative ways to celebrate Christmas. Self-quarantine and antigen rapid tests can help minimize the risk of infection. To slow the spread of the virus, we must continue to act responsibly. We must not forget that we may be asymptomatic carriers of the virus and could endanger others. Therefore, it is crucial to limit social contacts and continue to avoid large gatherings.

Closing Words

Despite the challenges we face, significant progress has been made in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The approval of vaccines certainly marks a milestone that offers hope for a long-term solution.