Coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. His statements come after an advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an 'inflexion point' where higher levels of immunity can lower deaths related to the virus.
Speaking at the opening of WHO's annual executive board meeting, Ghebreyesus said 'there is no doubt that we're in a far better situation now' than a year ago. Tedros warned that in the last eight weeks, at least 1,70,000 people have died in the world in connection with the virus. Ghebreyesus also asked for at-risk groups to be fully vaccinated. He said that an increase in testing and early use of antivirals, an expansion of lab networks, and a fight against 'misinformation' about the pandemic can help lessen cases related to the virus.
"We remain hopeful that in the coming year, the world will transition to a new phase in which we reduce hospitalizations and deaths to the lowest possible level,” said Ghebreyesus. The WHO Chief's comments came in the backdrop of the organisation's findings of its emergency committee. The committe had reported that some 13.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the world till now.
“The committee acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic may be approaching an inflexion point," WHO said in a statement afterwards. Higher levels of immunity worldwide through vaccination or infection 'may limit the impact' of the virus that causes COVID-19 on 'morbidity and mortality,' the committee stated.
“(B)ut there is little doubt that this virus will remain a permanently established pathogen in humans and animals for the foreseeable future,” it added. While Omicron versions are easily spread, 'there has been a decoupling between infection and severe disease' compared to that of earlier variants.
Committee members cited that 'pandemic fatigue' and the increasing public perception that COVID-19 isn't as much of a risk as it once was, leading to people to increasingly ignore or disregard health measures like mask-wearing and social distancing.
(With inputs from agencies)
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