PM Boris says UK could still be dealing with Covid in mid-2021
THE WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER A RESURGENCE IN EUROPE AS BRITAIN JOINED FRANCE, GERMANY AND AUSTRIA IN ANNOUNCING TIGHTER MASK REQUIREMENTS
LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the UK will still be dealing with the coronavirus pandemic in mid-2021 and he said that his government is preparing for a second wave of infections over the winter months.
“We will have tough times ahead in keeping this virus under control,” Johnson said on Friday. “I think by the middle of next year, we will be well on our way past it.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern over a resurgence in Europe as Britain joined France, Germany and Austria in announcing tighter mask requirements.
The chief scientist at WHO, Soumya Swaminathan, estimated that 50% to 60% of the world population will need to be immune to the virus for there to be any protective “herd immunity” effect. Swaminathan said studies show 5% to 10% of people now have antibodies, and even as high as 20% in some.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on the use of HCQ to treat Covid-19 found the drug ineffective. The trial, conducted at 55 hospitals in Brazil, tested if HCQ improved the condition of patients with mild to moderate cases, alone or in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin.