Highlights:
- Coronavirus may never leave us and people may have to leave to live with it says WHO
- People may have to learn to live with the novel Coronavirus
On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the novel Coronavirus may never entirely leave us and people all around the globe may have to learn to live with this deadly virus.
As many countries around the world have now started easing the lockdown put in place at a gradual pace in an attempt to boost back the economy while making sure the spread of COVID-19 is contained, the WHO said that the virus may never be wiped out completely.
The Coronavirus first emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan in China and since then has infected more than 4.4 million (44 lakh) and have claimed the lives of almost 300,000 people on a global level.
WHO’s Emergencies Director, Michael Ryan said, “We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it,”.
WHO said, “We should not be waiting to see if the opening of lockdowns has worked by counting bodies in morgue,”.
Dr Mike Ryan, of the World Health Organisation (WHO), tells a press conference: “We should not be waiting to see if opening of lockdowns has worked by counting bodies in morgues.
“This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away,” he told a virtual press conference in Geneva.
“HIV has not gone away — but we have come to terms with the virus.”
More than half of human life on the planet has been affected and is under some form of lockdown because of this deadly virus.
However, the WHO has warned that nobody can guarantee that easing the restriction will not trigger a second wave of infections as Wuhan saw a spur in cases as the city went back to normalcy which led to experts fear of a second wave.
WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Many countries would like to get out of the different measures,”.
“But our recommendation is still the alert at any country should be at the highest level possible.”
Ryan added that we have a “long, long way to go” before we return to normal and insisted that countries need to stay the course.
The Irish epidemiologist added, “There is some magical thinking going on that lockdowns work perfectly and that unlocking lockdowns will go great. Both are fraught with dangers,”.
Ryan also went ahead and condemned the attacks on the Healthcare professionals which were linked to the Coronavirus pandemic saying over 35 “quite serious” incidents like this were recorded in April alone, in 11 countries.
He said that the attacks were often over-reactions from the misinformed communities, adding, while there were also some sinister.
He said, “COVID-19 is bringing out the best in us, but it’s also bringing out some of the worst,”.
“People feel empowered to take out their frustrations on individuals who are purely trying to help.
“These are senseless acts of violence and discrimination that must be resisted.”
Additionally, Ryan insisted that we must be on a constant lookout and should find ways to surmount this deadly virus and take major steps in finding a viable vaccine and ensure it is accessible to all. Ryan said, “It’s a massive opportunity for the world,”.
