WHO Chief Says COVID-19 Can Be Controlled Within Months If There is Fair Resource Distribution

There may be light at the end of this COVID-19 tunnel yet if we play our cards right. 

On Monday (19 Apr), the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) told a news briefing that the world can bring the global pandemic under control within months as long as there is fair distribution of essential resources. 

Here’s what happened at the briefing. 

WHO Chief Says COVID-19 Can Be Controlled Within Mths If There is Fair Resource Distribution

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg made a virtual appearance at the briefing as a guest. She criticised “vaccine nationalism” and said that it was unethical for wealthy countries to prioritise younger citizens for vaccination over vulnerable populations in developing countries. 

She pointed out that one in four people in affluent nations had received their vaccination but only one in more than 500 people in poorer countries had been inoculated. 

She argued that it was “morally right” to give priority to the most vulnerable groups across all countries when it comes to vaccination. 

This is also the reason why vaccine passports aren’t encouraged; you can watch this video to the end to understand the logic behind this argument:

According to the head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “We have the tools to bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months, if we apply them consistently and equitably.” 

However, he also noted that the virus is spreading in those aged 25-59 worldwide at an “alarming rate”, likely as a result of highly contagious variants that are emerging. 

According to Thunberg, there is a direct relation between the pandemic and environmental damage. 

She said that environmental destruction made it easier for viruses to be transmitted from animals to humans. 

She also encouraged young people all around the world to get immunised if they have to chance, out of “solidarity with people in the (high) risk groups”.

Additionally, leading WHO epidemiologist Mara van Kerkhove said during the briefing that age groups that had previously been less affected by the pandemic had been experiencing more COVID-19 cases in the recent resurgence of the virus.

PM Lee Called for International Cooperation to Secure Vaccines For All Countries 

Back in February, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had called for international cooperation to ensure that all countries are able to get access to COVID-19 vaccines, including developing countries. 

He had been speaking at a virtual broadcast for Global Citizen’s “Recovery Plan for the World” campaign. 

He said, “Even as each of us gears up to secure our own (vaccine) supplies, we must cooperate internationally so that all countries, including developing ones, have access to vaccines for their people.” 

You can read more about it here.

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