New Delhi (NVI): World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today said that a vaccine alone will not be enough to end the Covid-19 pandemic as it would “complement” the existing tools, not “replace” them.
Taking to Twitter, Tedros said that a vaccine on its own will not end the pandemic and that the world would need to continue with surveillance, testing, isolating and caring for cases, tracing and quarantining contacts, engaging communities, and encouraging individuals to be careful.
“Since the beginning of the #COVID19 pandemic, we knew that a vaccine would be essential for bringing the pandemic under control. But it’s important to emphasise that a vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them. #EB147 #ACTogether,” the WHO chief said in a series of tweets.
Since the beginning of the #COVID19 pandemic, we knew that a vaccine would be essential for bringing the pandemic under control. But it’s important to emphasise that a vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them. #EB147 #ACTogether
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 16, 2020
He added that initial supply of Covid vaccines will be limited, so health workers, older people and other at-risk populations will be prioritised. “That will hopefully reduce the number of deaths & enable health systems to cope, but the virus will still have a lot room to move. #EB147,” he said.
The WHO chief’s remarks came on a day when more than 54.3 million people around the world have been confirmed to have the disease, while the death toll is nearing 13,17,131. Over 34.9 million patients have recovered from the deadly disease globally.
Meanwhile, India today registered 30,548 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall tally to 88,45,127, according to the Ministry of Health.
-ARK
