COVID-19 global herd immunity is unlikely to be achieved this year – even as countries rush to administer vaccines, the World Health Organization chief scientist warned this week.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday that it is critical that countries still encourage social detachment and other public health measures in the near future.
“Even with vaccines starting to protect the most vulnerable, we will not achieve any level of population immunity or collective immunity in 2021,” Swaminathan told a news conference.
“Even if it happens in some pockets, in some countries, it is not going to protect people around the world.”
Experts estimate that about 70% of people need to be vaccinated to achieve collective immunity.
Britain, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands are among the countries that have already launched vaccination programs.
But many developing countries have yet to receive an injection, the majority obtained by wealthier countries.
Dr. Bruce Aylward, advisor to the WHO director-general, urged the global community to do more to ensure that the poorest nations also receive the vaccine.
“We cannot do this alone,” said Aylward of the UN agency’s efforts to ensure that the most vulnerable regions have access to vaccines.
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