Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the world had never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic and urged nations to keep up their efforts against the virus. While addressing a virtual press conference, the WHO chief said, “We are not there yet, but the end is in sight.”
He further warned saying, “…but the world needed to step up to “seize this opportunity, a marathon runner does not stop when the finish line comes into view. She runs harder, with all the energy she has left… So must we. We can see the finish line. We’re in a winning position. But now is the worst time to stop running.”
As per the United Nations, last week witnessed the lowest number of deaths from Covid-19 since March 2020. He said, “If we don’t take this opportunity now, we run the risk of more variants, more deaths, more disruption, and more uncertainty.”
The WHO on Wednesday published six policy briefs in a bid to help countries to do what is needed to rein in the virus. “These policy briefs are an urgent call for governments to take a hard look at their policies, and strengthen them for Covid-19 and future pathogens with pandemic potential,” Tedros said.
Among the recommendations, the WHO is urging countries to invest in vaccinating 100 per cent of the most at-risk groups, including health workers and the elderly, and to keep up testing and sequencing for the virus.
The WHO technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Kerkhove pointed out that the world will witness future waves of Covid-19 infections, but we have tools in hand such as vaccines and antivirals to prevent serious infections.
According to WHO’s latest epidemiological report on Covid-19, the number of reported cases fell 12 percent to 4.2 million during the week ending September 4, compared to a week earlier.
Monkeypox cases, too, were on a downtrend but Tedros urged countries to keep up the fight. “As with Covid-19, this is not the time to relax or let down our guard,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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