Covid has wreaked havoc across the world this festive season with many nations seeing record numbers of cases.
Infections continue to soar here as the Omicron variant of the virus spreads like wildfire throughout the country.
Ireland was among dozens of states around the globe where Christmas and New Year Covid restrictions were once again imposed in response to the more transmissible strain of coronavirus.
But could 2022 be the year we finally see the back of Covid? It looks like we could be in luck, according to a top medic.
Australia's former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth claims we are winning the fight against the virus.
"In 2022, the Covid-19 pandemic will end. It is now the most treatable respiratory virus known to man," he told the Sydney Herald.
"Driven by the inevitable spread of the Omicron variant and the use of vaccines, the global population will generate immunity to this virus.
"We will live our lives again as part of the incredibly social and incurably optimistic human species that thrives on this planet and has emerged from countless pandemics over history stronger and more capable of managing the next."
His views were echoed by top Irish immunologist Luke O'Neill, who believes we will see a return to normal life this year.
Professor O’Neill said: “By the time we get to March and April, it will be a different story entirely – watch.”
“We will be able to live with it, because of all these various strategies.
“New anti-viral treatments will be approved in February and that will be a huge weapon.
“We know a lot about this virus now – for heaven’s sake, it’s been almost two years. We have a heavily vaccinated population, which is brilliant, with a strong booster to sustain protection.
“When you put it all together, by the time we get to St Patrick’s Day, the virus will have gone away almost from Ireland, it will seem to be in the background.”
According to O’Neill, who is a Professor at Trinity College’s School of Immunology, the best news of 2022 is anti-viral drug Paxlovid, which is a game-changer.
He revealed: “They released the data in December and it’s great. It decreases the risk of hospitalisation in the over 65s by 94%.
“Let’s say in February or March, you get infected. There will still be infections, because the virus isn’t going to go away – we’re just going to know how to manage it.
“So you feel a little rough and you get a test – an antigen test will suffice, probably – and you take an anti-viral and that will kill the virus.
"It gives about 80 to 90% protection across the board. So we have a tablet now as well as a vaccine – science has delivered both things. The anti-viral will keep things under control.”
