The world has now lived with COVID-19 for a year but the virus is far from gone. An infectious diseases expert told Luke Grant what to expect of the virus in the future.

“For us to get back to normal, … you need not only little or minimal transmission in Australia, but you need that globally,” said ANU Medical School Professor Peter Collignon.

“Realistically, that actually means you need most of the world vaccinated and …  that is going to take a while … more likely two or three years.”

Mr Collingnon said prevention and minimising transmissions would be the prevailing approach for some time.

“We’re going to have to keep this up for at least another year and possibly longer if we want to keep (numbers) down.”

But Mr Collingnon assured we are starting the new year in a better place for coronavirus responses.

“We’re in a better position now because we know more how it transmits, we know the age group that it effects the most.”

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