Vaccine on Its Own Will Not End COVID-19 Pandemic, Says WHO

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday said that a vaccine can’t put an end to the Coronavirus pandemic. “A vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them. A vaccine on its own will not end the pandemic,” AFP quoted director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as saying.

Tedros went on to add that vaccine will be first administered to high-risk population including healthcare workers, leaving alot of room for the virus to move. He then warned that surveillance on COVID-19 situation will need to continue even after the vaccine is made.

“That will still leave the virus with a lot of room to move. Surveillance will need to continue, people will still need to be tested, isolated and cared for, contacts will still need to be traced… and individuals will still need to be cared for,” he said.

Earlier, he had called on countries to invest in public health as COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic. Speaking at a news briefing in Geneva, Tedros had asserted, “History teaches us that outbreaks and pandemics are a fact of life. But when the next pandemic comes, the world must be ready – more ready than it was this time.”