WHO urges ‘extreme caution’ in lifting Covid restrictions
Making assumptions that transmission will not increase because we’re opening up, because of vaccine, is a false assumption... Transmission will increase when you open up
MICHAEL RYAN WHO official
GENEVA: The World Health Organization on Wednesday urged “extreme caution” for countries considering lifting Covid-19 restrictions, warning that high vaccination rates would not stop transmission of the virus increasing.
The UN health agency urged governments not to squander hardwon gains and return to scenes of overwhelmed hospitals and exhausted health workers.
Asked about England’s plans to ditch most of its coronavirus restrictions from July 19, WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said: “I would urge extreme caution in the complete lifting of public health and social measures at this time, because there are consequences for that.”
WHO figures show that globally, after a decline in newly reported cases for seven consecutive weeks, there was a slight increase in new cases in the past two weeks.
Cases jumped 30 per cent in the WHO’S European region over the past week.
European countries have administered 70 vaccine doses per 100 inhabitants, according to AFP figures.
“Making assumptions that transmission will not increase because we’re opening up, because of vaccine, is a false assumption,” said
Ryan.
“Transmission will increase when you open up, because we don’t have vaccines in everybody... and we’re still not sure to what extent vaccination protects against the ability to be infected or have onward transmission.
“With increased transmission in the community, we then put our most vulnerable at risk again.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday revealed plans to lift most of England’s legal coronavirus restrictions, including face masks and social distancing, urging personal responsibility rather than government edict.