Pandemic has ended but coronavirus is still around
Source: Middle East Insurance Review | Oct 2023
The pandemic has ended but the COVID-19 virus is still around and countermeasures are still required according to World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “COVID-19 emergency has ended but still COVID, the virus is around. Not only that, we have to prepare and be ready for the next one.”
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the G20 health ministers’ meeting in Gujarat in India.
Dr Ghebreyesus said, “One of the challenges during COVID was lack of equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, it remains a global health threat.”
WHO has recently classified a new variant with a large number of mutations. BA.2.86 variant is under monitoring at present, highlighting once again the need for all countries to maintain surveillance.
WHO has asked all the countries to speed up the process of finalising the Pandemic Accord so that it can be adopted in the World Health Assembly scheduled to be held in 2024. The negotiations on the Pandemic Accord and amendments to the international health regulations, both are essential for creating the legal and operational framework for inclusive, coherent and equitable global health security architecture.
Dr Ghebreyesus said, “COVID-19 has taught us all an important lesson that when health is at risk everything is at risk. The world is learning the painful lessons of the pandemic.” M