UN chief urges global coordination in pandemic fight

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says "COVID-19 is not going away," and stressed that the world "cannot defeat a pandemic in an uncoordinated way."

Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General said “COVID-19 is not going away. It is becoming clear that vaccines alone will not eradicate the pandemic. Vaccines are averting hospitalization and deaths for the majority who get them and slowing the spread. But transmissions show no sign of letting up. And this is driven by vaccine inequity, hesitancy and complacency.” We cannot defeat the pandemic in an uncoordinated way.”

According to the UN many will not reach the goal of vaccinating 70% of people by the middle of 2022.