World Health Organization: Coronavirus May Never Disappear
According to experts at the World Health Organization, the new coronavirus, which is the causative agent of COVID-19 and has caused a global epidemic, may “never disappear and vanish”. COVID-19 has claimed nearly 300,000 lives so far.
Michael Ryan, emergency director of the World Health Organization, stated on Wednesday evening, May 13, in a press conference in Geneva regarding the possibility of the new coronavirus persisting: “This virus may become an endemic pandemic in our communities and never disappear”.
According to him, the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, also never disappeared. He added: “However, regarding AIDS, the world succeeded in achieving preventive measures and necessary medications, so that this virus has lost its frightening and terrifying nature”.
Ryan also said: “I do not want to compare these two diseases [AIDS and COVID-19] with each other, but we must be realistic”.
From the perspective of the emergency director of the World Health Organization, there is very little chance of completely eradicating the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which is the causative agent of COVID-19.
According to him, however, achieving this requires that a highly effective vaccine be developed; a vaccine that is produced in sufficient quantities and distributed worldwide. Furthermore, “all humans must consent to being vaccinated”. He added: “Each of these steps is fraught with challenges”.
Ryan also addressed the issue of vaccines in the Geneva press conference. He criticized the existing doubts and uncertainties regarding vaccination, as well as the existing shortages in healthcare and medical systems in many parts of the world.
He emphasized: “We have very effective vaccines in the world that we are not using properly and fully”.
Ryan in this regard referred to measles, which despite existing vaccines has not been eradicated and the number of those affected has even been increasing again for several years.
Maria van Kerkhove, an expert at the World Health Organization who was present at this conference, also addressed the issue of controlling the new coronavirus.
According to her, “with necessary measures to identify the infected, isolate them, and with reliance on effective medical care, this virus can be controlled”. She added that scientists and researchers are currently working with all their might to find a vaccine to combat COVID-19.
Experts at the World Health Organization are presenting their warnings and assessments at a time when many countries around the world have begun easing their coronavirus restrictions.
Michael Ryan, emergency director of the World Health Organization, clarified in this regard: “Easing restrictions in no way means the end of the crisis. Returning to some form of normal life is a long road”.
He warned that easing restrictions before reducing the appropriate number of cases carries the risk that we will once again face a sharp increase in cases.
Ryan added: “It is dangerous to ease restrictions without subsequently conducting extensive testing to detect coronavirus and being able to track transmission chains”.
According to the latest figures released by Johns Hopkins University, more than 4 million and 347 thousand people have been identified with the new coronavirus worldwide, and nearly 300,000 people have died as a result of COVID-19.
Source: DW
