When will coronavirus end?

Vaccines will not completely eradicate the virus

Question: When will coronavirus end?
Position‹4 of 4: The coronavirus pandemic may never end
Argument‹4 of 5›: Vaccines will not completely eradicate the virus

There are many potential problems and limitations to vaccines including their efficacy, accessibility, and durability. The virus is also quickly mutating which makes it difficult to make a successful vaccine.

The argument

Vaccines will help decrease the number of cases, but it will not be a perfect solution due to several problems and limitations. Vaccines may not lead to ending the virus. One of the major limitation to the vaccine is its efficacy. People should not assume that the virus will be 100% effective. Currently, scientists predict making a vaccine that will be 50% effective, meaning that it will prevent COIVD-19 in only 50% of the people who take it. The vaccine will not protect everyone, and coronavirus may never end. It is a huge effort to vaccinate the entire world. It will take a lot of time, but also it might be impossible. The World Health Organization (WHO) is hoping to vaccinate 20% of the world by the end of 2021. 20% is a small percentage and the disease will still spread between the people who are not vaccinated. The coronavirus may continue circulating globally. Even if countries manage to give vaccines to people, scientists speculate that the immunity people gained through the vaccine may fade over time. In this case, the vaccine will wear off and people might be infected. The coronavirus pandemic may not exactly end.

Premises

[P1]Available COVID-19 vaccines are projected to be only around 50% effective, leaving many vaccinated people still susceptible. [P2] Vaccinating enough of the global population to halt transmission is logistically infeasible in the near term, with WHO targeting only 20% coverage by end of 2021. [P3] Vaccine-induced immunity is expected to fade over time, allowing reinfection even among those initially protected. [C] Therefore, vaccines will not fully eradicate the virus, and the coronavirus pandemic may never end.

Counter-arguments

Whether people gain immunity after infection or via vaccine, people can strengthen and renew this immunity with vaccine boosters. Boosters can help people to always maintain immunity against the virus which helps in ending the virus. There are multiple policies and regulations that governments can implement to help vaccinate people in their countries. An example of such organizations is COVAX which is part of the World Health Organization. COVAX is a global initiative to provide and distribute vaccines around the world. Once a vaccine is approved, such organizations will help in vaccinating the world which may help end the coronavirus.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] The distribution constraint is treated by the counter as a problem being worked on rather than a fixed ceiling, pointing to government vaccination policy and to global initiatives such as COVAX, part of the World Health Organization, set up to supply and distribute vaccines internationally once one is approved. [Rejecting P3] Waning immunity does not entail waning protection, since on the counter's account immunity acquired either through infection or vaccination can be renewed and strengthened with boosters, so protection can be maintained over time rather than lapsing.