Paul E. auteur aut IRD Brown G. W. auteur aut IRD Dechamps M. auteur aut IRD Kalk A. auteur aut IRD Laterre P. F. auteur aut IRD Rentier B. auteur aut IRD Ridde Valéry auteur aut IRD Zizi M. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Background: Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 has been regarded as an exceptional disease. Control measures have exclusively focused on 'the virus', while failing to account for other biological and social factors that determine severe forms of the disease. Aim: We argue that although COVID-19 was initially considered a new challenge, justifying extraordinary response measures, this situation has changed - and so should our response. Main arguments: We now know that COVID-19 shares many features of common infectious respiratory diseases, and can now ascertain that SARS-CoV-2 has not suddenly presented new problems. Instead, it has exposed and exacerbated existing problems in health systems and the underlying health of the population. COVID-19 is evidently not an 'extraterrestrial' disease. It is a complex zoonotic disease, and it needs to be managed as such, following long-proven principles of medicine and public health. Conclusion: A complex disease cannot be solved through a simple, magic-bullet cure or vaccine. The heterogeneity of population profiles susceptible to developing a severe form of COVID-19 suggests the need to adopt varying, targeted measures that are able to address risk profiles in an appropriate way. The critical role of comorbidities in disease severity calls for short-term, virus-targeted interventions to be complemented with medium-term policies aimed at reducing the burden of comorbidities, as well as mitigating the risk of transition from infection to disease. Strategies required include upstream prevention, early treatment, and consolidation of the health system. specialized COVID-19 health policy public health treatment health promotion MONDE 056 052 110 155-159 [+ Corrigendum, vol. 158,107951 [1 ], 2025] 2021 1201-9712 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083223 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.07.051 1201-9712 [F B010083223] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083223 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/2021-11/010083223.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2021-11-10 2026-07-21 fdi:010083223 fre