Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization (WHO) director of health emergencies, warned today that despite the COVID-19 vaccinations starting in some countries, there is up to six months more of a pandemic with large numbers of infections and deaths.
“The vaccine is cause for hope and we have to celebrate, but the next three or six months will be difficult, in those countries the countries that are intensively transmitted the virus will see it intensify,” Ryan said at a news conference. when asked about the increase in cases in countries like Mexico.
At the same time, “the countries that have controlled the pandemic could suffer to stay that way,” said the Irish expert, citing as an example the countries of East Asia, where the number of infections in some cities is starting to rise after months. relative calm.
Ryan warned that “past success does not guarantee future success” in containing the pandemic, noting that even when vaccines are available early, “they will not be available in sufficient numbers to avoid infections.”
The WHO director of health emergencies stressed on the Mexican case that, like other countries in America, such as Brazil or the United States, they “never really got out of the first wave with any control” and are now facing “an intense period. they must take all necessary preventive measures. “
Ryan also confirmed that the highly anticipated WHO-led mission to investigate the origins of the coronavirus in China will travel to the Asian country in the first week of January and visit the central city of Wuhan, where the first cases were reported a year ago. were reported.