Image Source : AP Premature, unrealistic to assume COVID-19 will finish quickly: WHO
A senior World Health Organization official mentioned Monday it was “premature” and “unrealistic” to assume the pandemic may be stopped by the top of the 12 months, however that the current arrival of efficient vaccines might no less than assist dramatically scale back hospitalizations and demise. The world’s singular focus proper now must be to maintain the transmission of COVID-19 as little as attainable, mentioned Dr. Michael Ryan, director of WHO’s emergencies program.
“If we’re smart, we can finish with the hospitalizations and the deaths and the tragedy associated with this pandemic” by the top of the 12 months, he mentioned at a media briefing.
Ryan mentioned WHO was reassured by rising information that most of the licensed vaccines look like serving to curb the virus’ explosive unfold.
“If the vaccines begin to impact not only on death and not only on hospitalization, but have a significant impact on transmission dynamics and transmission risk, then I believe we will accelerate toward controlling this pandemic.”
But Ryan warned towards complacency, saying that nothing was assured in an evolving epidemic.
“Right now the virus is very much in control,” he mentioned.
WHO’s director-general, in the meantime, mentioned it was “regrettable” that youthful and more healthy adults in some wealthy international locations are being vaccinated towards the coronavirus earlier than at-risk well being staff in growing international locations.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned immunizations offered by the U.N.-backed effort COVAX started this week in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, however lamented that this was occurring solely three months after international locations equivalent to Britain, the U.S. and Canada started vaccinating their very own populations.
“Countries are not in a race with each other,” he mentioned. “This is a common race against the virus. We are not asking countries to put their own people at risk. We are asking all countries to be part of a global effort to suppress the virus everywhere.”
But WHO stopped in need of criticizing international locations which might be transferring to vaccinate youthful and more healthy populations as an alternative of donating their doses to international locations that haven’t but been capable of defend their most weak folks.
“We can’t tell individual countries what to do,” mentioned Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior WHO adviser.
Tedros additionally famous that for the primary time in seven weeks, the variety of COVID-19 circumstances elevated final week, after six consecutive weeks of declining numbers. He described the rise as “disappointing,” however mentioned it wasn’t shocking.
Tedros mentioned WHO was working to higher perceive why circumstances elevated, however that a part of that spike gave the impression to be as a result of “relaxing of public health measures.”
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