GENEVA –
The World Health Organization is calling for greater investment in the development of new vaccines to keep pace with rapidly evolving coronavirus variants.
As global attention focuses on the monkeypox outbreak, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is warning that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. He says new tools must be developed to slow this deadly disease, while public health measures known to work must be maintained and strengthened.
He says one of the most effective ways to save lives is to vaccinate the right groups first. By this he means healthcare workers, the elderly and other at-risk groups, such as those with underlying health conditions.
He notes that cases and deaths from COVID-19 have increased over the past five weeks. The latest WHO report puts the number of confirmed global cases at nearly 566 million, including more than 6.3 million deaths.
Tedros says several countries are also reporting an increase in hospitalizations, following waves of transmission driven by omicron subvariants. “While vaccines have saved countless lives, they have not substantially reduced transmission. It is therefore vital that governments and the private sector continue to collaborate and invest in the development of new vaccines that prevent both infection and disease.” .
Tedros adds that vaccines need to be developed that can be delivered more easily, such as through aerosols or nasal drops.
The WHO’s executive director for health emergencies, Mike Ryan, says more attention needs to be paid to pandemic preparedness. He says the risks of diseases like COVID-19, monkey pox, Marburg and polio are accelerating because nations tend to be reactive, rather than proactive in dealing with these diseases.
“I think we really need to take a much more systematic view of how we prioritize pathogens for the future and then how we invest… It’s going to cost money and it’s going to cost money. But it’s a great investment to protect us. And a dollar spent on preparedness worth more than a thousand dollars spent in response.”
WHO chief Tedros agrees. It urges all countries to assess and strengthen their preparedness and response plans for future waves of transmission.
He adds that as new vaccines and other tools against COVID-19 are developed, it is crucial that they are available equitably in all countries.