Although the distribution and administration of the vaccines for the COVID-19 in many countries, collective immunity will not be achieved this year, warns the World Health Organization.
«We will not achieve (...) collective immunity in 2021,» said the WHO scientific advisor, Sumia Swaminathan, stressing that it is important continue to comply with the protection measures, such as hand washing, mask use and spacing, to bring the pandemic under control.
Swaminathan hailed the «incredible progress» made by scientists who have managed to develop many safe and effective vaccines in less than a year. «But it will take some time to distribute them,» she noted. «It takes time to produce the doses on a large scale, we are not talking about millions but billions,» he added, asking everyone «to be patient.».
The vaccines will eventually reach all countries, he assured. «But while we wait, we must not forget that there are measures that work,» he reminded.
According to Swaminathan, health and social measures will need to be in place to halt the spread of the new coronavirus «at least until the end of this year».
