The head of the GAVI world vaccine alliance instructed on Monday it was too early to name an finish to the COVID-19 emergency, saying the pandemic may nonetheless worsen.
The World Health Organization (WHO) decides whether or not an outbreak represents a “public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)” – a designation meant to set off a coordinated worldwide response and will unlock funding to collaborate on sharing vaccines and coverings.
Asked whether or not the WHO ought to finish the COVID-19 emergency section, GAVI’s Seth Berkley stated the scenario “could conceivably get worse”.
“So I would guess you know that Dr. Tedros (WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus) is thinking about this global situation, which could conceivably get worse. It could get better. We don’t know where it’s going. It seems like a tough time to stop that emergency,” he instructed reporters.
At the identical press briefing, Berkley stated he anticipated demand for COVID-19 vaccines to stay sturdy in 2023.
“We expect hundreds and hundreds of millions of doses to be requested. That’s what countries are saying they want,” he stated.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) is a part of the COVAX facility which has supplied round 1.9 billion doses to 146 international locations thus far.
