MONITORING (SW) – The WHO has underlined the need to vaccinate 70% of the world population against COVID-19 by the middle of 2022.
In his remarks during a press conference, the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom, said that while there were 1.8 million recorded deaths in 2020, there were 3.5 million in 2021 and the actual number is much higher. “This is not to mention to the millions of people dealing with long-term consequences from the virus”, he said.
He added populism, narrow nationalism and hoarding of health tools, including masks, therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, by a small number of countries undermined equity, and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of new variants.
Misinformation and disinformation, often spread by a small number of people, have been a constant distraction, undermining science and trust in lifesaving health tools, he said, adding that in the huge waves of cases currently seen in Europe and in many countries around the world, misinformation which has driven vaccine hesitancy is now translating to the unvaccinated disproportionally dying.
It is vitally important that the established Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens can develop a pathway for the scientific research of pathogens, including for the origins of SARS-CoV-2. And we hope to see progress quickly in the New Year, he said.
He added that in 2022, WHO will work with Member States to build well-financed health systems, strengthen preparedness and ensure the equitable distribution of health tools.
From the new WHO Bio Hub System, which offers a reliable, safe, and transparent mechanism for WHO’s 194 Member States to voluntarily share novel biological materials; to the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, based in Berlin – WHO will build mechanisms to enhance partnership, he said.
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