Tedros Gebreyesus
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adanom Ghebreyesus said that the events of the outgoing year and the coronavirus pandemic have taught the world many important lessons that need to be learned by 2021. The head of WHO said this in a video published on the organization's YouTube channel on the eve of the anniversary of the outbreak of coronavirus in China.
2020 has shown that governments must increase investment in health care, Tedros said. First, it is necessary to ensure access of all citizens to vaccines against coronavirus. In addition, policymakers must ensure that health systems are fully prepared for the next pandemic that is imminent, the head of WHO said.
Tedros noted that while vaccination against coronavirus is underway, the main thing is to continue adhering to existing antiviral measures: wear masks, keep distance, wash hands, avoid crowded places and meet on the streets. “These simple but effective measures will save lives and reduce the suffering that so many people face in 2020,” he said.
According to the head of WHO, the most important lesson in the outgoing year was that humanity needs to work together and show solidarity. This will save lives now and in the future, Tedros said. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel. And we will reach it, having gone all this way together, ”he said.
On the eve, the WHO Director General warned of new challenges coming in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to him, the world community is waiting for “new varieties of COVID-19”. He called for “to quickly share with WHO and other countries” information and information on the genomic sequence of the new strains of coronavirus detected.
