On a virtual press briefing, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative noted that if lethal strains, such as Delta, take hold in more countries, SARS-CoV-2 will continue to spread.

Meanwhile, WHO’s Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that SARS-CoV-2 strains are currently winning the race against vaccines due to uneven production and distribution of immunizers.

‘Some countries with high vaccination coverage are now planning to roll out booster vaccines in the upcoming months, and abandon social public health measures and relax as if the pandemic is over,’ he noted.

The leader emphasized that the world has just passed ‘the tragic milestone’ of four million deaths from Covid-19, a figure that ‘probably underestimates the total number of victims,’ he said.

In view of that situation, the director of Health Emergencies of the entity, Mike Ryan, requested governments to act with extreme caution when lifting all restrictions, ‘as there will be consequences.’

As part of the actions to prevent further deaths on Tuesday, the WHO updated its guidelines for the care of critically ill patients with Covid-19 and recommended interleukin-6 receptor blockers.

Increasing access and affordability of those life-saving products, WHO called on manufacturers to reduce prices and make supplies available in low- and middle-income countries, especially where the number of Covid-19 cases is growing.

ef/omr/mgt/cdg