The World Health Organization has warned that, despite strong hopes for a vaccine, there might never be a "silver bullet" for COVID-19, and the road ahead back to normality would be long.
Key points:
- Top WHO officials have urged countries to 'do it all' to get on top of coronavirus
- They said hope remains in the international hunt for a vaccine
- Countries will high transmission rates have been warned to brace for a sustained battle
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO emergencies head Mike Ryan have strongly encouraged all nations to rigorously enforce health measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, handwashing and testing.
"The message to people and governments is clear: 'Do it all'," Dr Tedros told a virtual news briefing from the UN body's headquarters in Geneva.
He said face masks should become a symbol of solidarity around the world.
"A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection," he said.
"However, there's no silver bullet at the moment — and there might never be."
The WHO head said that, while the coronavirus was the biggest global health emergency since the early 20th century, the international hunt for a vaccine was also historic.
"There are many vaccines under trial, a couple in the final stage of clinical trials — and there is hope," Dr Tedros said.
"It does not mean that we will have the vaccine, but at least the speed with which we reached the level we reached now is unprecedented.
"There are concerns that we may not have a vaccine that may work, or its protection could be for just a few months, not more. But until we finish the clinical trials, we will not know."
Dr Ryan said countries with high transmission rates, including Brazil and India, needed to brace for a long battle.
"The way out is long and requires a sustained commitment," he said, calling for a "reset" of approach in some places.
"Some countries are really going to have to take a step back now and really take a look at how they are addressing the pandemic within their national borders."
Reuters
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMib2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA4LTA0L3doby13YXJucy10aGVyZS1tYXktbmV2ZXItYmUtY292aWQtMTktc2lsdmVyLWJ1bGxldC1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy8xMjUyMTAwNNIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjUyMTAwNA?oc=5
2020-08-03 22:56:00Z
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