Covid still an emergency but nearing 'inflection' point: WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus 

A key advisory panel has noted that the coronavirus pandemic may be approaching an "inflexion point" where increasing levels of protection can reduce virus-related deaths.

Coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the head of the World Health Organisation said on Monday.

The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated at the beginning of the annual executive board meeting that "there is no doubt that we're in a lot better condition now" than a year ago when the highly transmissible Omicron variant was at its worst.

Dr Tedros, however, issued a warning, stating that the coronavirus was responsible for at least 170,000 deaths worldwide in the past eight weeks.

He demanded that at-risk people have full vaccinations, that antiviral testing and use be increased, that lab networks be expanded, and that "misinformation" regarding the pandemic be fought.

"We can't control the virus, but we can do more to address the vulnerabilities in populations and health systems. That means vaccinating 100 percent of the most at-risk groups; It means increasing access to testing and early antiviral use; It means taking context-specific measures when there is a surge in cases; It means maintaining and expanding laboratory networks; And it means fighting misinformation," he said.

The WHO boss is hopeful the world will transition to a new phase in which the number of hospitalisations and deaths will be as low as possible and health systems will be able to manage Covid-19 in an integrated and sustainable way.

Essential part

"Vaccination will remain an essential part of our approach. We are now working to determine the most effective mechanism for advising Member States and manufacturers on vaccine composition and vaccination frequency," he added.

According to data by the WHO, 13.1 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been given out, with nearly 90 percent of health workers and more than four in five individuals over 60 have received the first round of shots.

The committee acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic may be approaching an inflexion point," WHO said in a statement.

Higher immunity worldwide through vaccination or infection "may limit the impact" of the virus that causes Covid-19 on "morbidity and mortality," the committee said.

But for the foreseeable future, it was added, "there is little doubt that this virus will remain a permanently established disease in humans and animals."

Omicron versions are contagious, although in contrast to prior forms, "there has been a decoupling between infection and severe disease."

Members of the committee highlighted "pandemic fatigue" and the growing belief among the public that COVID-19 poses less of a threat than it once did as reasons why people are increasingly choosing to neglect or reject health precautions, including mask use and social seclusion.