COVID-19: New variants may emerge as countries relax public health measures- WHO
The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said the relaxation of public health and social measures is allowing continued transmission, with the risk of new variants emerging.
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The Director-General stated this on Monday at the 11th meeting of the Emergency Committee for COVID-19.
Ghebreyesus noted that transmission has remained very high, while vaccination coverage has been very low in many countries.
“When we last met in January, a new wave of infections and deaths was beginning, driven by the Omicron variant.
“It’s pleasing to now see a downward trend in reported deaths, which last week were the lowest in more than two years.
“But the pandemic is still far from over,” he warned.
According to the WHO chief, COVID-19 is now affecting countries in very different ways, adding that there is a decoupling of cases from hospitalisation and deaths in countries with high population immunity.
He said in other countries, the massive increases in cases has led to large numbers of hospitalisations and even higher numbers of deaths compared to previous waves.
“It remains of major concern that large numbers of health workers and others at high risk are still unvaccinated.
“Equitable access to vaccination of the most at-risk groups remains the single most powerful tool we have to save lives.
“Striving to vaccinate 70 per cent of the population of every country remains essential for bringing the pandemic under control, with priority given to health workers, older people and other at-risk groups.
“Even as some high-income countries now roll out fourth doses for their populations, one third of the world’s population is yet to receive a single dose, including 83 per cent of the population of Africa.”
The WHO chief noted that three factors are critical as the pandemic enters its third year, adding “First, fatigue. People are exhausted, after two years of deaths, social isolation, missed family reunions, closed schools and disrupted workplaces.
“Second, the duration of immunity from prior vaccination or infection remains unclear. And third, we can’t predict how the virus will evolve,” he said.
Ghebreyesu, however, emphasised that despite these uncertainties, the UN body has the tools to limit transmission, save lives and protect health systems.
MTO/punch
