The World Health Organization warned on Saturday that the global pandemic COVID-19 will not end soon. The international health agency also added the economic pressures and fatigue it will bring. 

World Health Organization
(Photo : Reutersconnect)
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference organized by Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU) amid the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva Switzerland .

The World Health Organization warned the impact and prolonged effect of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The announcement was made after an emergency committee meeting done to evaluate the crisis brought by COVID-19 six months after WHO declared the virus as a pandemic. 

According to a published article on MSN News, the committee highlighted the lengthy duration of the new coronavirus disease 2019. In a statement also released by the WHO, they warned the risk of "response fatigue" given the socio-economic pressures of other countries, especially those financially challenged.

The committee met for the fourth time since the World Health Organization declared on January 30, the highest level of alarm known as public health emergency of international concern or PHEIC. According to the health agency, WHO continues to assess the global risk level of COVID-19 to be very high. 

WHO said, "The committee highlighted the anticipated lengthy duration of this COVID-19 pandemic, noting the importance of sustained community, national, regional, and global response efforts." 

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the number of COVID-19 infections in the world has already reached 17.6 million and has killed at least 680,000. The United States is still the country with the highest number of COVID-19 diseases. 

Meanwhile, the committee urged WHO to have a program that would reduce the risk of response fatigue in the context of socio-economic pressures of countries heavily impacted by the global pandemic. The committee wants the WHO to provide nuanced and pragmatic guidance. 

Moreover, the committee also emphasized that WHO should also support countries in preparing for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines therapeutics. At the same time, the committee also called that the agency should spend more time researching to know what needs to be known about the virus. 

The committee wanted an improved understanding of the virus and its post effect. In the previous reports, it can be remembered that COVID-19 recovered patients still continue to experience and suffer from its symptoms like fever, cough, loss of smell, and more.

There are many questions about the virus that remained unanswered until now. The committee wanted more information about the new virus from the transmission, shedding, potential mutations, immunity, and correlates of protection.

The gathering that lasted for nearly six hours was hosted at the WHO's headquarters in Geneva while other participants worldwide through a video call. The committee will meet again in the next three months to give results of their updated assessment. 

By that time, the committee's report will be about vaccine production and distribution. There are pharmaceutical companies that are now in the final stage of human clinical trials. 

Each of the human clinical trials will be participated by more than 30,000 persons to ensure that the vaccine is safe and effective to combat COVID-19. 

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