Health experts say that the Omicron variant of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is “probably not” the end of the pandemic as the virus is expected to “continuously mutate and evolve.”

Executive Director of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) Dr. Cynthia Saloma, in an international webinar held by the University of the Philippines (UP) on Friday, Feb. 18, said that the Omicron could further mutate and pose risk to humans.

“Will the Omicron variant be last of the variants ? Probably not. Is the Omicron variant the endgame for the pandemic? We do not really know because it continues to pose risk and the virus could continue to mutate,” said Saloma.

Saloma added that among the other things that experts do not know at this point in time is whether the virus would continue to emerge but be more transmissible and whether it could mutate to a “more benign” form.

“Some experts say that this pandemic appears to be on an evolutionary decline towards endemism and new normal, where the virus and humans could exist but we don’t actually know because the COVID-19 has repeatedly surprised us,” she added.

Meanwhile, during the same webinar, Dr. Martin Hibberd, a professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, backed Saloma’s statement on the COVID-19’s vague endemicity.

“Pandemic to endemic – this is what everyone is thinking about now, but COVID-19 is a nasty new disease that is here to stay. I don’t think we’re gonna get rid of that and that is because it is so widespread in humans and animals around the world. It’s always gonna be able to come back,” said Hibberd.

In addition to this, Hibberd said that new variants of COVID-19 will most likely occur each year.

“My prediction is that there is going to be a new variant each year. We need to monitor those in the same way as we treat influenza. For influenza, we take samples of those and we make a new vaccine every year which protects those vulnerable people from a new influenza strain. My feeling is we are gonna have to do that as well,” he added.

Furthermore, Hibberd said that vaccination against the virus needs to be updated every year, adding that he hopes for “new, longer-lasting, and broader response” vaccines soon.

Despite the decreasing number of cases and “improved pandemic scenarios” in several countries, including the Philippines, both experts – Saloma and Hibberd, reiterated that the “test, trace, isolate, treat, and vaccinate” scheme remains the best way to fight against the disease.

“It is also important that we continue to monitor and be vigilant and not put our guards down,” Saloma reiterated.