VACCINE WON’T BRING PANDEMIC TO END AS DEATHS SET TO INCREASE: WHO CHIEF

THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Europe can expect more coronavirus deaths in October and November.

While the number of deaths has remained stable in recent weeks, the spike in Covid-19 cases will lead to a rise in deaths in the coming months, it said.

WHO Europe’s 55 member states are meeting online today to discuss the situation and to create a fiveyear strategy to fight the virus.

‘It’s going to get tougher. In October, November, we are going to see more mortality,’ WHO Europe director Hans Kluge said.

The WHO reported nearly 308,000 Covid cases globally yesterday.

‘It’s a moment where countries don’t want to hear this bad news, and I understand,’ Mr Kluge told the

Agence France Press news agency.

On a day in which Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said he was becoming more optimistic that a vaccine will be available next year, Mr Kluge warned that the vaccine will not bring the pandemic to an end. Mr Kluge said that the vaccine may work for some groups and not others, adding that preparing for such a scenario will be a ‘nightmare’.

‘I hear the whole time: “the vaccine is going to be the end of the pandemic”. Of course not!’ he remarked.

‘We don’t even know if the vaccine is going to help all population groups. We Optimistic: Tánaiste Leo Varadkar are getting some signs now that it will help for one group and not for the other,’ he added. ‘And then if we have to order different vaccines, what a logistical nightmare. ‘The end of the pandemic is the moment that we as a community are going to learn how to live with this pandemic. And it depends on us and that’s a very positive message.’ The World Health Organisation says data to date suggests that 80% of Covid-19 infections are mild or asymptomatic, 15% are severe, requiring oxygen and 5% are critical, requiring ventilation.