The global immunity of the COVID-19 herd is unlikely to be achieved this year, even when countries compete to administer vaccines, the World Health Organization chief scientist warned this week.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan said on Monday that it was crucial for countries to further encourage social distancing and other public health measures for the foreseeable future.
“While vaccines are starting to protect the most vulnerable, we will not achieve any level of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021,” Swaminathan said at a news conference.
“Even if it happens in a couple of pockets, in some countries, it won’t protect people around the world.”
Experts have estimated that about 70 percent of people need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
Britain, the United States, France, Canada, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands are some of the countries that have already launched vaccination programs.
But many developing nations have not yet received any shots, most of which have been picked up by richer countries.
Dr Bruce Aylward, advisor to the Director-General of WHO, urged the world community to do more to ensure that the poorest countries also receive the vaccine.
“We can’t do it alone,” Aylward said of the UN agency’s efforts to ensure the most vulnerable regions have access to gunfire.
With publishing cables