Considered one of the greatest absurdist dramas ever written, “Waiting for Godot,” by Samuel Beckett, is about two people eagerly awaiting the arrival of the mysterious character Godot. Spoiler alert: he never arrives.
In the U.S. and across the globe, the politicians, media, and their “experts” continue to insist that only the arrival of a successful COVID-19 vaccine will end the anxiety of the virus and restore economic growth.
Yet, medical officials have made it clear that because viruses mutate, a future vaccine trying to hit a fast-moving target often fails. A recent survey of health care executives conducted by Stifel Financial Corporation shows 40 percent of respondents do not expect a workable vaccine before late 2021 with 36 percent not expecting it until 2022 or later.
Even these estimates, based on past statistics, are optimistic as on average it takes five years or more for most vaccine development. And even a “successful” vaccine will not protect a good portion of the population. According to guidelines from the FDA, a vaccine should be at least 50 percent more effective than a placebo.
TREND FORECAST: There will be great resistance among a vocal minority in many nations which will resist forced vaccinations. Despite this, we forecast governments will pass laws and impose regulations that will inflict penalties on those who refuse to get vaccinated, such as restricting air travel, passports, driver licenses, school attendance, etc.
The greater the pressure to get vaccinated, the stronger the forces to create “Freedom” parties who are opposed to strict government rules and regulations. In many countries, it will be a spark that ignites “Civil War 2.0.”
