COVID-19: Second Wave or Multiple Peaks, Natural Herd Immunity or Vaccine-We Should be Prepared.

2020 
Between the 31st of December 2019 and the 30th of August 2020 (date of this article), the novel coronavirus and its corresponding infection, COVID-19, more than 25 million cases and 843,158 deaths have been registered. Countries around the world have been affected, albeit in different levels and intensities.Despite implementations of preventive public health measures, most countries are seriously preparing for one or more waves. The threat of this surge is likely to persist until herd immunity is acquired either by natural infection or through vaccination. However, given the time frame needed for herd immunity to occur and the low probability that a vaccine will be available on a global scale by the coming fall and winter seasons, contingency preparedness plans should be established and put in place for the coming days or months. These plans should help mitigate new peaks of the pandemic while relaxing the social isolation rules, patient, public health, and hospital levels.In this article, we go about recommendations that practicing physicians and public health agencies should provide to individuals, especially those at risk of infection, to take and implement pre-emptive measures in anticipation of the potential next peak of the pandemic.
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