Malik Yahya/
The Director-General, World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that the COVID-19 pandemic is not close to being over.
In his opening remarks at the COVID-19 press briefing yesterday, the WHO chief said the critical question that all countries will face in the coming months is how to live with this virus.
Ghebreyesus said “WHO will continue to do everything in our power to serve countries with science, solidarity and solutions.
“The critical question that all countries will face in the coming months is how to live with this virus. That is the new normal. ”
Many countries have implemented unprecedented measures to suppress transmission and save lives.
“These measures have been successful in slowing the spread of the virus. But they have not completely stopped it,” he said.
Ghebreyesus noted that some countries are now experiencing a resurgence of cases as they start to re-open their economies and societies.
“Most people remain susceptible. The virus still has a lot of room to move.
“We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives.
“But the hard reality is: this is not even close to being over.”
The WHO chief said although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up.
“We’re all in this together, and we’re all in this for the long haul.
“We will need even greater stores of resilience, patience, humility and generosity in the months ahead.
“We have already lost so much – but we cannot lose hope,” he said.
Ghebreyesus, however, called on all countries to renew their commitment to universal health coverage as the cornerstone of social and economic development – and to building the safer, fairer, greener, more inclusive world we all want.
“This is a time for renewing our commitment to empowering communities, suppressing transmission, saving lives, accelerating research and political and moral leadership.”
The WHO DG reiterated that national unity and global solidarity are essential to implementing a comprehensive strategy to suppress transmission, save lives and minimise the social and economic impact of the virus
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