UNITED NATIONS, The world is in a very \u201cdangerous period\u201d of the coronavirus pandemic compounded by more transmissible variants like Delta \u2014 first detected in India \u2014 which is continuing to evolve and mutate, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn countries with low COVID-19 vaccination coverage, terrible scenes of hospitals overflowing are again becoming the norm,\u201d Tedros told his bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.\u201dBut no country is out of the woods yet\u201d, he added.<\/p>\n
Tedros explained that the Delta variant is \u2018dangerous\u2019 and continues to evolve and mutate, and this requires constant evaluation and \u2018careful adjustment of the public health response\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cDelta has been detected in at least 98 countries and is spreading quickly in countries with low and high vaccination coverage\u201d, he warned.<\/p>\n
Responding to questions,, WHO\u2019s technical leader for COVID-19 response, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, reminded that the virus has been evolving since it first emerged.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is what viruses do. The variants of concern that we are tracking are currently four: Alpha, Beta, Gama and Delta. They will continue to evolve: there will be more mutations, there will be more variants detected, and some of those will be variants of concern\u201d, she predicted.<\/p>\n
Dr. Van Kerkhove said there were \u2018sub lineages\u2019 of the Delta variant that experts are currently tracking and urged countries to expand their genomic sequencing efforts.
\nMeanwhile, the WHO chief explained that there are \u2018essentially\u2019 two ways for countries to push back against the new COVID-19 surges.<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic health and social measures like strong surveillance, strategic testing, early case detection, isolation and clinical care remain critical. As well as masking, physical distance, avoiding crowded places and keeping indoor areas well ventilated\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n
The second way, said Tedros, was through the global sharing of protective gear, oxygen, tests, treatments and vaccines.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have urged leaders across the world to work together to ensure that by this time next year, 70% of all people in every country are vaccinated\u201d, Tedros highlighted, adding that this was the best way to slow the pandemic, save lives, drive a truly global economic recovery and prevent further dangerous variants from getting the \u2018upper hand\u2019.<\/p>\n
WHO is calling on leaders to vaccinate at least 10% of people as soon as possible, in all countries, to ensure that health workers and those most at risk are protected.<\/p>\n
According to Tedros, ensuring this would effectively end the acute stage of the pandemic and save a significant number of lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a challenge but we know it\u2019s possible because already three billion vaccines have been distributed. It is within the collective power of a few countries to step up and ensure that vaccines are shared, manufacturing is increased, and that the funds are in places to purchase the tools needed\u201d, he urged.<\/p>\n
Although there is some vaccine-sharing happening now, it is still \u2018only a trickle\u2019, and being outpaced by variants.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn those countries whose hospitals are filling up, they need vaccines and other health tools right now\u201d, he underscored.<\/p>\n
The UN health agency is also urging BioTech, Pfizer and Moderna to share knowledge and technology so that it is possible to accelerate the development of new mRNA vaccine manufacturing hubs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sooner we start building more vaccine hubs and upping global vaccine capacity, the sooner we can diminish deadly surges\u201d, Dr. Tedros said.<\/p>\n
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO\u2019s Chief Scientist, said a lot of data had been gathered on the efficacy of Pfizer-Biotech and AstraZeneca shots, but much less for other vaccines in use.
\nFrom its regional offices, WHO is currently promoting the idea of vaccine effectiveness studies and working with countries to obtain data so that they can reassure the public that vaccines will keep being effective against future variants.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, the good news is that all of the WHO emergency use listed vaccines do protect against developing severe disease, hospitalization and death due to the Delta variant\u201d, she said recently during a WHO video interview.<\/p>\n
Dr. Swaminathan reminded that a full course of vaccination is essential to provide full immunity against the Delta variant.<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of the vaccines that we have currently are 100% protective. So this is why even if you\u2019re vaccinated, you can get the infection, but the chances are you will get very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, and that the chances of getting seriously ill are really, really low\u201d, she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, The world is in a very \u201cdangerous period\u201d of the coronavirus pandemic compounded by more transmissible variants like Delta \u2014 first detected in India \u2014 which is continuing to evolve and mutate, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned. […]<\/p>\n
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