‘COVID-19 caused more mass trauma than WWII’

People protest against the government of President Mario Abdo Benitez in response to the shortage of medications for COVID-19 patients in hospitals in Asuncion, Paraguay. PIC/AP

World Health Organization (WHO) officials have said that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused more "mass trauma" than World War II and warned of its lasting consequences.

"The world has experienced mass trauma because World War II affected many, many lives," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference on Friday. "And now, even with this pandemic, with bigger magnitude, more lives have been affected, almost the whole world is affected."

"Countries have to see it as such, and prepare for that," he warned. Evidence of mass trauma has been presented by other organisations, such as the International Council of Nurses, which warned on January 13 of the effects of the pandemic on nurses' mental health.

India's proposal may fail
Four top Republican senators have urged US President Joe Biden not to accept a proposal by India and South Africa to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to waive anti-COVID vaccine patents, saying that waiving all rights to intellectual property would end the innovation pipeline and stop the development of new vaccines or boosters to address variants in the virus. Mike Lee, Tom Cotton, Joni Ernst and Todd Young, in a letter to President Biden, urged him to reject the upcoming proposal at the WTO.

Person with variant found
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that the mystery person infected with the Coronavirus "variant of concern", which first emerged in Brazil, has been found.

Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, Hancock said he was "delighted" in the success of the "flat out work" of health officials to identify the missing case.

The "best evidence" shows that the person has stayed at home and there's no sign there has been any onward transmission, said Hancock.

Thailand's vax passports
Thailand is considering COVID-19 vaccine passports and quarantine exemption amid efforts to boost the country's ailing tourism sector.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Foreign Ministry to conduct a study into the vaccine passports. "If we decide to unveil the plan, China will be the first country that we're going to negotiate with," said Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam.

Sweden's vax certificate
Sweden is developing a digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate for use in international travel and the country aims to have the system in place by June 1, the government said.

"Sweden is driving the development of digital vaccination certificates. We now have a model that is simple, safe and versatile. I see these vaccination certificates being in place by the summer," Anders Ygeman, Minister for Digital Development.

COVAX delivers doses to 20 nations
COVAX, the international vaccine campaign co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, has so far delivered more than 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 20 countries. Last week, the first COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in Africa using doses provided by COVAX began in Ghana.

11,61,83,268
TOTAL Number OF CORONAVIRUS

CASES IN THE WORLD

25,82,192
Number OF DEATHS WORLDWIDE

6,57,05,743
Number OF RECOVERED PATIENTS

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