COVID pandemic’s ‘acute phase’ could end by midyear: WHO

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the acute phase of the pandemic could be over this year [Nardus Engelbrecht/AP Photo]

The head of the World Health Organization has said the acute phase of the pandemic could end this year, if about 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 on Friday.