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Not all viruses have symptom-less 14-day periods where someone can be infected and spreading it to others without knowing. But yes, it could end before herd im

• lbeltrame 6y ago
  Just to be precise: 14 days is not the median. The median is far lower (4-6 days), and I think we need studies on how early during the asymptomatic period one can actually spread the virus, because last I heard (but I lack reliable evidence), it was 2 or 3 days before symptoms showed up.
• mikem170 6y ago
  >Or it could be like the flu, and mutate / continue indefinitely. I gather that is unlikely, coronaviruses don't mutate like the flu. In fact, according to experts, it is most likely that this coronavirus will decrease in severity over time and become endemic like the other several coronaviruses that are responsible for 15% of common colds. Or, alternatively, occasionally returning like a bad flu year. https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/04/two-scenarios-if-new-coronavirus-isnt-contained/ https://www.statnews.com/2020/02/04/two-scenarios-if-new-cor... I remember reading in other places this may have happened before, something about a really bad flu year in the 1870's that may have been another coronavirus introducing itself to humanity.