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The coronavirus “may never go away,” warned the World Health Organization (WHO).
Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director of Emergencies Dr. Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear.
He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require “massive effort.”
Nearly 300,000 people worldwide are reported to have died of coronavirus, and more than 4.3 million cases were recorded.
Meanwhile, the UN warned that the pandemic was causing widespread distress and mental illness, particularly in countries where there is a lack of investment in mental health.
The UN urged governments to make mental health considerations part of their overall response.
What did the WHO say?
“It is important to put this on the table: this virus can become another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus will never go away,” said Dr. Ryan at the virtual press conference from Geneva.
“HIV has not disappeared, but we have come to terms with the virus.”
Dr. Ryan said he does not believe “anyone can predict when this disease will go away.”
There are currently more than 100 potential vaccines in development, but Dr. Ryan noted that there are other diseases, such as measles, that have not yet been eliminated despite vaccines for them.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that it was still possible to control the virus, with effort.
“The trajectory is in our hands, and it is everyone’s business, and we should all contribute to stopping this pandemic,” he said.
WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove also said at the briefing: “We need to keep in mind that it is going to take some time to get out of this pandemic.”
Their strong remarks come as several countries began to gradually tighten blockade measures, and leaders consider the question of how and when to reopen their economies.
Dr. Tedros cautioned that there was no guaranteed way to ease restrictions without triggering a second wave of infections.
“Many countries would like to get out of the different measures,” said the WHO chief. “But our recommendation remains that the alert in any country should be at the highest possible level.”
Dr. Ryan added: “There is a magical thinking going on that locks work flawlessly and that unlocking locks will be great. Both are fraught with danger.”
