Birth rates have been dropping for years in almost all nations, including in Malaysia. This pandemic may further accelerate this decline, not just while it is ongoing but permanently. — Filepic/The Star (Captioned by photographer G.C.TAN/The Star-1st JAN 2017)
The long-term impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are only just being felt. In the past 10 to 11 months we have largely experienced the short-term effects. But as the pandemic drags on we can begin to recognise some long-term impacts.
We are beginning to realise that this pandemic will be with us for another one to two years. While there are promising developments with a vaccine, we must not forget the issues of mutations, limited antibody durations, proven re-infections, the logistics of any vaccine that requires a -70°C cold chain (as Pfizer’s vaccine, which it claims has a 90% efficacy rate, does), and finally the enormous challenges of rolling out a vaccine that has a world-wide demand. So recovery in two years may actually be optimistic.
