An Australian infectious diseases specialist says it is now clear COVID-19 is here to stay, two years to the day the World Health Organisation declared a worldwide pandemic.

Australian physician Professor Dale Fisher told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings on Friday we were now in a transition phase of the virus.

“Everyone accepts it is here to stay and the end game really is, where it circulates amongst us, we get it just like we get the common cold,” said Professor Fisher, a senior consultant at the National University Hospital’s infectious diseases division in Singapore.

“We’re not there yet… most places are still getting to that point where there’s a sort of steady, and obviously with Omicron there’s surges associated with that.”

Tap PLAY to hear more of his views on the pandemic and its future here.