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Summary
- WHO warns that though the COVID-19 pandemic has been severe, we might not have seen the worst ones yet.
- The agency highlighted vaccination programs would be an integral part to save lives and safeguard vulnerable.
- WHO stated that 2020 has given lessons and reminders that everyone should keep in mind in 2021.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taken innumerable lives and caused enormous disruption to economies, families, and societies worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have ~80.77 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 1.78 million deaths (as of 30 December 2020, 4:32 PM CET) across the globe.
WHO officials have warned that although the COVID-19 pandemic has been severe, it is not necessarily a ‘big one’.
The experts warn that the coronavirus is likely to become endemic and that people will have to learn to live with the pandemic.
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Funding for COVAX
The global agency stated that vaccines, treatments as well as diagnostics for COVID-19 have been developed and launched at a record speed. It also gave credit to collaborations, including the access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, for the rapid delivery of vaccines and treatments. Further, the WHO added that equitable access is ACT Accelerator’s priority.
At present, vaccination programs would be an integral part to save lives and safeguard the vulnerable. COVAX, the vaccine arm of ACT Accelerator, has already secured access to almost 2 billion doses of promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
During the ongoing pandemic, vaccines offer great hope to turn the tide. However, to protect the world, everyone must make sure that all people at risk are immunized.
To provide immunization to everyone and not just to the nations who can afford COVID-19 vaccines, COVAX urgently requires more than US$4 billion to secure COVID-19 vaccines for low and lower-middle income nations.
ALSO READ: How are developing world economies preparing for COVID-19 vaccine deployment and testing?
©Kalkine Group 2020
Lessons and reminders for 2021
The WHO stated that the events of 2020 have given lessons and reminders that everyone should take into 2021.
Governments should increase investment in public health
The first and foremost thing this year has indicated is that governments should raise their investments in public health. The investments include funding access to COVID-19 vaccines for everyone and making systems well-prepared to prevent and respond to any upcoming inevitable situation or pandemic.
Measures to Keep everyone safe
The second advice is to adhere to tried and tested methods that keep people around the world safe, mentioning that vaccination to every corner will take time.
This means keeping social distancing, wearing face masks, hand sanitization, and respiratory hygiene. Moreover, people should avoid crowded indoor places and outside meetings.
These easy, but effective measures will save lives and lessen the suffering that people have confronted during 2020.
Working collectively in harmony
The agency stated that everyone must commit to working together in solidarity as a global community. The world should join hands to promote and protect health today and in the upcoming times. WHO also added that partnership and collaborations safeguard societies as well as save lives.
©Kalkine Group 2020
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said
