WHO says that return to ‘full normality’ is a premature rush, that the pandemic is not over

Published by BBN Staff at July 6, 2021

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Posted: Tuesday, July 6, 2021. 11:07 am CST.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: A World Health Organization (WHO) official sounds the warning that the return to normality in the United States and some parts of Europe is a ‘premature rush,’ and that ‘we’re going to pay the price.’

The WHO’s head of emergencies program Dr. Mike Ryan warned that a new wave of COVID-19 infections could be coming, according to a Reuters report.

“All of the countries of the Americas, we still have nearly 1 million cases a week. 1 million. A week. You know it’s not, it isn’t over. And the same in Europe. In European region with half a million cases a week. It’s not like this thing has gone away,” Ryan said.

Ryan’s concern comes as the extremely contagious Delta variant has spread to approximately 100 countries. The WHO has said that soon it will become the dominant strain of the virus around the world.

“The variants are really there, and we haven’t protected enough people and I honestly think that we need to think our way through this, that we’re opening up way too quickly for the epidemiological situation and the risks associated with that,” Ryan said.

The Delta variant has caused the resurgence of cases in areas of Europe, Asia, and the United States.

“We just need to be a little more patient, but for a lot of the world, unfortunately, this thing is only getting started and you can see again, once again. Hospitals in many countries coming under pressure as the number of cases rises quickly,” Ryan said.

Ryan said he was concerned that the world is making the same sad mistakes it has before.

“I think we just need to take stock. I’m very pleased for those who are being vaccinated. I’m very pleased for those countries that are getting things under control. Don’t get me wrong, but those countries that are able to open up their societies a little more, that’s fantastic news.

“But please spare a thought for those people who are living without vaccine, … and they really are falling behind. This has now become [a] two-tier pandemic, pandemic of the haves and the pandemic of the have-nots, as has been the case in so many other things in the past. It’s just sad to see us making the same mistakes over and over.”

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