WHO's emergencies chief Mike Ryan recently said. “The opportunity for the virus to disappear is not there. But what we are trying to do here is to end the public health emergency associated with the virus," said Ryan. “I do see us getting out of this although new variants will keep emerging because we need to reach a point where ordinary people can get on with their lives.
People need to think that scientists and experts can help us do so via vaccines and drugs," he added. Ryan said that people may have to observe a higher level of vigilance for longer than expected, meaning wearing masks may be required in certain situations in future too and keep their windows open. “But what we need is to invest in the longer-term, looking into the future.
So, when the next pandemic occurs, we are in a position to do these things quicker. There is a lot that we can fix in advance of any further event and there is a lot we can fix before this once ends," said Ryan.
This comes even as the World Health Organization earlier this week urged governments to improve vaccination rates and rapid testing as infections have risen from the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, especially in eastern Europe.