'Coronavirus is a test and world is failing', asserts WHO chief ahead of Tokyo Olympics

As coronavirus contagion continues to wreak havoc across the globe, the chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has equated the pandemic to a “test” and asserted that the world is failing at it. Addressing the International Olympic Committee in Tokyo, Tedros Adhenonmm Ghebreyesuss said that the summer games had the power to create headlines and that he wanted to use the opportunity to highlight the surging COVID caseload across the world. “Anyone who thinks the #COVID19 pandemic is over because it’s over where they live is living in a fool’s paradise,” he said in his heartfelt address.  

'When will the pandemic end?' 

Highlighting that he has been invited to the Olympics before but had never complied, the 56-year-old said that this time he had come to the “global mountaintop”, with a message. Furthermore, he disclosed that he is often asked the question, “when will this pandemic end?" However, he said that the “pandemic is a test. And the world is failing.” He buttressed his stance by projecting statistics for the same saying that the number of deaths is already more than double last year’s total.

“In the time it takes me to make these remarks, over 100 people will lose their lives to #COVID19. By the time the @Olympics flame is extinguished on the 8th of August, another 100,000 people will perish. Millions of survivors continue to suffer from the long-term health consequences of #COVID19, which we're still learning about", he said. 

He also reiterated his call for vaccine equity saying that even though 1 in four people have received at least one shot, it masks a horrifying injustice. “75% of vaccines have been administered in just 10 countries. In low-income countries, only 1% of people have received at least one dose, compared with more than half of people in high-income countries", he said. 

 

"Some of the richest countries are now talking about third booster shots for their populations, while health workers, older people and other vulnerable groups in the rest of the world continue to go without" the 56 year old biologist asserted while speaking two days ahread of the Tokyo Olympics 2021. 

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