“A number of vaccines are now in Phase 3 clinical trials, and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection. However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment, and there might never be,” said Dr. Tedros, per the BBC.
“For now, stopping outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control: testing, isolating and treating patients, and tracing and quarantining their contacts.”
Tedros did urge countries to “do it all” in combatting the coronavirus, including testing, contact tracing, social distancing and wearing masks – all necessary things that must be done to stop the spread of the virus, reports the Voice of America.
This latest update from WHO comes about as the number of cases of COVID-19 has grown to more than 18 million globally. The death toll stands at 689,000, with both figures given by the US-based Johns Hopkins University. The United States leads countries with 4,690,404 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 155,124 deaths.\
There are a number of vaccines for the coronavirus in development, including six potential COVID-19 vaccines in phase three trials – the final phase that will determine whether a vaccine is safe and effective.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress last week he is “cautiously optimistic” a vaccine will be approved by the end of the year, according to The Hill.
WHO investigation into source of outbreak
The WHO chief also anjnounced that the first stage of a WHO investigation into the possible source of the outbreak in China is now complete.
Infectious disease experts believe the virus initially jumped from animals to humans and attention has focused on a wet market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the Covid-19 pandemic began. An advance team has been probing the source and this initial part of the investigation is complete.
A follow-up investigation will include a larger WHO-led international group, including Chinese experts. It is not yet known when it will commence.
