Geneva: With some of the highest numbers of deaths recorded over the past few days, the World Health Organisation (WHO) today warned that this was a “very dangerous” time in the course of the pandemic.
“This is happening because, over previous weeks, there has been a lack of compliance with what health authorities are advising in several countries,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told media persons here today, adding that the virus had taken advantage of this and was spreading at alarming rates in some countries.
The current variants show that the virus is making itself more suitable to ongoing circulation within the human population.
“This is normal of every virus but at present we’re helping it thrive if we don’t reduce transmission and vaccinate equitably…I do not want to see people become complacent as vaccines are starting to rollout…You might think that it won’t happen to you and that you don’t need to comply with the measures. The problem is that before you know it, not complying a bit becomes a habit, people you know mimic the behaviour and the whole system breaks down,” he said.
Not complying with recommended measures gives the virus opportunities to spread, putting people at risk for infection and for more people to develop severe disease, and for more pressure to be put on health workers. “People need to know that they can personally stop the virus, and they need to know that the virus can stop with them,” the D-G said.
He added: “If I said one thing to people in areas where there are high numbers of cases, it would be to do all you can to avoid mixing with people from other households, especially inside.”
Because the virus thrives when people gather in groups – especially inside where people are less inclined to physically distance, where windows aren’t open and there is not adequate ventilation, which means everyone is sharing the same air, the WHO D-G strongly recommended one to wear masks and hand wash.
In this difficult period it is best to meet virtually but if you have to meet others, do it carefully and with the right precautions. Meet outside wherever possible. None of us are exceptional and the more we can break the chains of transmission and stop the virus ourselves, the more we will avoid severe cases and tragic deaths.
Meanwhile, COVAX – set up by GAVI, CEPI and WHO in April last year – has now secured contracts of 2 billion doses of “safe and effective” COVID-19 vaccines, which are ready to rollout as soon as the vaccines are delivered. However, this is where the current challenge lied as rich countries have bought up the majority of the supply of multiple vaccines.
Also read: “Shun vaccine nationalism,” said WHO D-G while new COVID-19 related deaths increased by 3% last week
“So there’s a clear problem that low- and most middle-income countries are not receiving the vaccine yet. This is a problem we can and we must solve together through COVAX and the ACT-Accelerator,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said. He appealed to countries that had contracted more vaccines than they will need, and are controlling the global supply, to also donate and release them to COVAX immediately, which was ready today to rollout quickly. “I urge countries and manufacturers to stop making bilateral deals at the expense of COVAX,” he said.
– global bihari bureau
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