Bill Gates: Three things the world has done during the COVID-19 pandemic will make 2021 a better year.

On the threshold of the new year of 2021, everyone has a question within themselves: Is the new year better than the volatile old 2020?

From the perspective of a pessimist, 2021 will certainly be better this year as the world has experienced a pandemic that could not be worse: 1.6 million people died, millions lost their jobs and were unable to go to school.

The COVID-19 pandemic also slowed down the world economy, nearly all travel and travel delays. That is not to mention the devastating wildfires and political instability that still occur in some areas of the world.

Bill Gates, who is considered a “prophet” because all his predictions about the future are awaited and heard, said: 2021 will be better than this year, but not because everything is not. Maybe worse, but because in 2020, humanity has achieved some amazing scientific breakthroughs.

“When I look back at the speed of scientific progress in 2020 for myself, I was stunned,” the billionaire, the Microsoft founder wrote in his latest blog post. In it, Gates reflected on unprecedented challenges over the past twelve months and provided insight into what awaits us in the future ahead.

” Humans have never made so much progress, with any disease in just one year compared with what we have achieved with COVID-19 this year. Normally, the creation of a vaccine. – it could take up to 10 years. But this time, more vaccines were produced in less than a year , “Gates wrote.

He predicts that the achievements of 2020 will help us have even more success by 2021. Here is a summary of Gates’ predictions:

1. Because the two vaccines both work, it is more likely that the other vaccines will work as well

Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been shown to be safe and highly effective in preventing COVID-19. Because they work by targeting the corona virus spikes protein, vaccines being developed in this direction are likely to work as well, Gates writes.

2. Companies and countries have learned to collaborate rather than compete

Due to the severity of the pandemic and the urgent need to fight it, inherently competitive companies have begun to cooperate with each other. Gates writes: ” For example, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, the Serum Institute of India, is producing vaccine doses for AstraZeneca”.

Usually, collaboration between these direct competitors does not happen at all. ” Imagine Ford lent Honda one of his factories to build Accords ,” Gates wrote.

According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic also allows countries to increase cooperation, exchange and become more united. In the future, if this trend is maintained and continues, the world will surely become a better place.

” It’s not going to get us as far as we are now, ” Gates wrote, ” if governments, companies and scientists around the world don’t work closely together. This global partnership is one reason why.” I see a lot of promise next year – and not even a mere promise we have pandemic control. I believe the world also has a chance to take concrete collaborative steps to deal with. one of the other great challenges of our time: climate change “.

3. Annoying tests will become obsolete

One small medical advance that Gates mentioned last, is the nasal swab tests. He thinks that he feels quite regrettable that the COVID-19 test in the US usually takes a long time and gives inaccurate results. Gates had even called them “trash” in the past.

But after the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen improvements in nasopharyngeal swabs. From now on, you can sample your specimens by swabbing your nose, instead of having a gauze inserted deep into your throat or in your nose.

” If you’ve ever had one of the nasopharyngeal tests done, you’ll know how annoying they are – they can make you cough or sneeze, which is bad news for a respiratory virus like COVID-19 because it can increase risks for medical personnel , “Gates writes. After this pandemic, these nasty tests are sure to go away.