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WHO warns coronavirus herd immunity unlikely this year
Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
AFP-JIJI
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Jan 16, 2021
GENEVA – Scientists at the World Health Organization have warned that mass vaccinations would not bring about herd immunity to the coronavirus this year, even as one leading producer boosted its production forecast.
Infections numbers are surging around the world, especially in Europe where nations have been forced to ramp up virus restrictions even as vaccines are rolled out.
The WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, warned Monday that it would take time to produce and give enough shots to halt the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 90 million people worldwide with deaths approaching two million.
“We are not going to achieve any levels of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021,” she said, stressing the need to maintain physical distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing.
Experts are also concerned about the rapid spread of new variants of the virus, such as the one first detected in Britain which is feared to be significantly more transmissible.
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England opened seven mass vaccination sites Monday to fight a surge fueled by that variant, which is threatening to overwhelm hospitals.
But England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty told the BBC: “The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS (National Health Service).”
Elsewhere in Europe, Portugal was facing a new lockdown because of a spike in cases and deaths, as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tested positive for the virus.
The 72-year-old was asymptomatic and isolating in the presidential palace in Lisbon, his office said.
Slovakia was preparing to start a new round of mass testing, Prime Minister Igor Matovic said late Monday, following a first nationwide screening in November.
“From next weekend at the latest, we will run a mass test every week until we get the situation under control. There is no other way,” said Matovic, who tested positive himself in December after an EU summit.
German company BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to produce the first vaccine approved in the West, said it could produce millions more doses than originally expected this year, boosting the production forecast from 1.3 billion to 2 billion.
The announcement was a boost to countries struggling to deliver the shots, but the company also warned that COVID-19 would “likely become an endemic disease”, with vaccines needed to fight new variants and a “naturally waning immune response.”
Officials in Russia said they would trial a one-dose version of country’s Sputnik V vaccine as part of efforts to provide a stopgap solution for badly hit countries.
India, with the world’s second-highest number of infections, is set to begin giving shots to its 1.3 billion people from Saturday in a colossal and complex undertaking.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who has pledged to devote all available resources to fight the pandemic, received his second vaccine dose on Monday.
There have been surges in Asia as well, where many nations avoided the high death tolls and infection rates seen in Europe and the United States in the early months of the pandemic.
Malaysia’s king declared a nationwide state of emergency Tuesday to fight a coronavirus surge that is overwhelming hospitals, but critics charged it was a bid by an unstable government to cling to power.
The last time an emergency was declared nationally in Malaysia was in 1969, in response to deadly racial riots.
With more than a year gone since the first known outbreak of the coronavirus, the fallout from the worst pandemic in a century has become clearer — from the economy and society to culture and the environment.
The masks that have become ubiquitous and necessary to save lives, for example, are proving a deadly hazard for wildlife, with birds and marine creatures ensnared in the staggering number of discarded facial coverings littering animal habitats.
Single-use surgical masks have been found scattered around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide since countries began mandating their use in public places to slow the pandemic’s spread.
Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose.
“Face masks aren’t going away any time soon,” Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said. “But when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals who share our planet.”
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
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Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
KEYWORDSWHO, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, COVID-19, COVID-19 VACCINES
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Since the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, The Japan Times has been providing free access to crucial news on the impact of the novel coronavirus as well as practical information about how to cope with the pandemic. Please consider subscribing today so we can continue offering you up-to-date, in-depth news about Japan.
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PRINT SUBSCRIBERS | SUBSCRIBE | LOGIN
The Japan Times
WORLD / SCIENCE & HEALTH
WHO warns coronavirus herd immunity unlikely this year
Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
AFP-JIJI
SHARE
Jan 16, 2021
GENEVA – Scientists at the World Health Organization have warned that mass vaccinations would not bring about herd immunity to the coronavirus this year, even as one leading producer boosted its production forecast.
Infections numbers are surging around the world, especially in Europe where nations have been forced to ramp up virus restrictions even as vaccines are rolled out.
The WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, warned Monday that it would take time to produce and give enough shots to halt the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 90 million people worldwide with deaths approaching two million.
“We are not going to achieve any levels of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021,” she said, stressing the need to maintain physical distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing.
Experts are also concerned about the rapid spread of new variants of the virus, such as the one first detected in Britain which is feared to be significantly more transmissible.
RELATED STORIES
Public trust crumbles under COVID-19 and fake news, survey says
WHO finally lands in China to begin tracing the coronavirus. How hard will it be?
Why many Asian countries are being cautious on vaccines
No end in sight for third wave a year after COVID-19 made its way to Japan
England opened seven mass vaccination sites Monday to fight a surge fueled by that variant, which is threatening to overwhelm hospitals.
But England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty told the BBC: “The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS (National Health Service).”
Elsewhere in Europe, Portugal was facing a new lockdown because of a spike in cases and deaths, as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa tested positive for the virus.
The 72-year-old was asymptomatic and isolating in the presidential palace in Lisbon, his office said.
Slovakia was preparing to start a new round of mass testing, Prime Minister Igor Matovic said late Monday, following a first nationwide screening in November.
“From next weekend at the latest, we will run a mass test every week until we get the situation under control. There is no other way,” said Matovic, who tested positive himself in December after an EU summit.
German company BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to produce the first vaccine approved in the West, said it could produce millions more doses than originally expected this year, boosting the production forecast from 1.3 billion to 2 billion.
The announcement was a boost to countries struggling to deliver the shots, but the company also warned that COVID-19 would “likely become an endemic disease”, with vaccines needed to fight new variants and a “naturally waning immune response.”
Officials in Russia said they would trial a one-dose version of country’s Sputnik V vaccine as part of efforts to provide a stopgap solution for badly hit countries.
India, with the world’s second-highest number of infections, is set to begin giving shots to its 1.3 billion people from Saturday in a colossal and complex undertaking.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who has pledged to devote all available resources to fight the pandemic, received his second vaccine dose on Monday.
There have been surges in Asia as well, where many nations avoided the high death tolls and infection rates seen in Europe and the United States in the early months of the pandemic.
Malaysia’s king declared a nationwide state of emergency Tuesday to fight a coronavirus surge that is overwhelming hospitals, but critics charged it was a bid by an unstable government to cling to power.
The last time an emergency was declared nationally in Malaysia was in 1969, in response to deadly racial riots.
With more than a year gone since the first known outbreak of the coronavirus, the fallout from the worst pandemic in a century has become clearer — from the economy and society to culture and the environment.
The masks that have become ubiquitous and necessary to save lives, for example, are proving a deadly hazard for wildlife, with birds and marine creatures ensnared in the staggering number of discarded facial coverings littering animal habitats.
Single-use surgical masks have been found scattered around pavements, waterways and beaches worldwide since countries began mandating their use in public places to slow the pandemic’s spread.
Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to decompose.
“Face masks aren’t going away any time soon,” Ashley Fruno of animal rights group PETA said. “But when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals who share our planet.”
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Japan's bitter vaccine history creates hurdle in COVID-19 fight
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PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
Experts say that with herd immunity still some distance away, hand-washing and the wearing of masks is still vital to help keep COVID-19 infections down. | REUTERS
KEYWORDSWHO, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, COVID-19, COVID-19 VACCINES
Your news needs your support
Since the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, The Japan Times has been providing free access to crucial news on the impact of the novel coronavirus as well as practical information about how to cope with the pandemic. Please consider subscribing today so we can continue offering you up-to-date, in-depth news about Japan.
WHAT’S TRENDING
EDITORS’ PICKS
Japan hails U.K. plan to send aircraft carrier group to Asia
British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in November 2017 in Portsmouth, England
Japan eyes punishment for breaking COVID-19 rules
A meeting of health experts is held at the health ministry Friday to discuss revising the infectious disease law to introduce fines or prison sentences.
Why many Asian countries are being cautious on vaccines
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (center) holds a news conference on the government's strategy for COVID-19 vaccinations, in Hong Kong on Dec. 23. Hong Kong has yet to approve a single vaccine as it awaits more detailed clinical trial data.
No end in sight for third wave a year after COVID-19 made its way to Japan
The cumulative number of cases in Japan recently exceeded 310,000, with the third wave beginning in the fall.
Japan seeks mid-February Pfizer vaccine approval, minister says
Norihisa Tamura, Japan's health minister, speaks during an event in Tokyo on Dec. 24.
COVID-19 banner
PODCAST
DEEP DIVE
Episode 77: When will Japan get a vaccine for COVID-19?
LAST UPDATED: JAN 13, 2021
JAPAN NETWORK UPDATES
Directory of who’s who in the world of business in Japan
LAST UPDATED: JUN 8, 2020
JAPAN NETWORK UPDATES
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS
Read more
SUPPLEMENTS BINDER
international-reports
Synergy Media Specialists
Global Insight
GMI Post
World Eye Reports
Return to The Japan Times top page
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ABOUT US CONTACT US PRIVACY POLICY LINK POLICY REPRINTS FAQS SUPPORT ANNOUNCEMENTS PRESS SITEMAP ADVERTISE
THE JAPAN TIMES LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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