Pandemic's 'acute phase' could end by mid-year if 70% gets vaccinated: WHO
New Delhi/ Cape Town: The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday that the acute phase of the pandemic could end this year, if around 70 percent of the world gets vaccinated.
"Our expectation is that the acute phase of this pandemic will end this year, of course with one condition, the 70 percent vaccination (target is achieved) by mid this year around June, July," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told reporters in South Africa.
"If that is to be done, the acute phase can really end, and that is what we are expecting. It's in our hands. It's not a matter of chance. It's a matter of choice."
He was speaking during a visit to Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, which has produced the first mRNA Covid vaccine made in Africa using Moderna's sequence.
Meanwhile, Indian government informed Parliament on Friday that over 1.2 crore people aged 60 years and above in the country had not received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as on February 8. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said a total of 1,20,82,792 people in the said age group are yet to receive the first dose of a Covid vaccine.
Besides, 1,68,03,864 beneficiaries in the age group have not received the second dose of the vaccines, she added.
As on February 8, a total of 95.09 crore (93.9 per cent) people aged 15 years and above had received the first dose of a Covid vaccine and 73.59 crore (72.6 per cent) beneficiaries in the age group had received both doses.
Under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, the vaccines have been utilised within their shelf life, the minister said, adding that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved a shelf life of nine months for Covishield, while for Covaxin, it is 12 months from the date of manufacture.
India saw a single day rise of 58,077 Coronavirus infections in 24 hours, which took the tally of cases to 4,25,36,137 on Friday, while the active cases have declined to 6,97,802.
The death toll has climbed to 5,07,177 with 657 daily fatalities.
The cumulative doses administered so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 171.79 crore.
with agency inputs
