There might never be a “silver bullet” cure for coronavirus and nations must prepare to ensure public health through existing measures, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said at a press conference Monday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged governments to focus on testing, tracing, isolating and treating individuals who test positive for the virus at the press conference. He urged individuals to wear masks, wash their hands regularly and continue social distancing.
“A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection,” Ghebreyesus said. “However, there is no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be.”
But, stopping outbreaks is achievable, Ghebreyesus added. It will require governments around the world to stick to what has worked and to not let up, he said. (RELATED: US Pays $1.95 Billion For Up To 600 Million Coronavirus Vaccine Doses)
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at a press conference Monday, August 3, 2020. (WHO/Screenshot)
“The message to people and governments is clear: Do it all. And when it’s under control, keep going,” Ghebreyesus said.
President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in March as coronavirus spread rapidly around the world. The increase of new cases in the U.S. has slowed after a recent surge, according to the CDC.
Six coronavirus vaccines have entered large-scale phase three clinical trials, one of the major hurdles before a vaccine is approved, according to The New York Times. A vaccine developed by American pharmaceutical company Moderna and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) entered phase three last Monday, according to an NIH press release.
“Having a safe and effective vaccine distributed by the end of 2020 is a stretch goal, but it’s the right goal for the American people,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, according to the press release.
“The launch of this Phase 3 trial in record time while maintaining the most stringent safety measures demonstrates American ingenuity at its best and what can be done when stakeholders come together with unassailable objectivity toward a common goal.”
However, like Ghebreyesus, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Thomas Frieden said there may not be a return to normal on the horizon.
“Even with a vaccine, there is no going back to normal anytime soon,” Frieden said on July 23, according to CNBC. “Prepare for at least eight to 12 months of this situation.”
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