Bill Gates predicts world will be ‘back to normal’ by end of 2022

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates predicted this week that the world will be “back to normal” by the end of 2022 thanks to COVID-19 vaccinations.

Gates told Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and television broadcaster TVN24 that the coronavirus pandemic has been “an incredible tragedy,” but he expressed hope for the future, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Gates’s prediction: “By the end of 2022 we should be basically completely back to normal,” Gates said.

Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, through their foundation have designated at least $1.75 billion to respond to the pandemic globally, including through vaccines.

The U.S. has faced calls to share its vaccine stockpile with other countries and committed last week to send millions of surplus doses to Mexico and Canada.

President Biden has also pledged $4 billion, including $2 billion in immediate funding, to Covax, the global program dedicated to getting vaccines to poorer countries.