COVID-19 has shown disturbing signs of self-interest, blame-shifting & division: WHO chief Tedros

As the World Health Organization(WHO) cautioned against relying too much on vaccines, the chief of the UN health body Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "COVID-19 has shown what humanity is capable of at its best and worst."

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Tedros said the virus has shown "inspiring acts of compassion & self-sacrifice, breathtaking feats of science and innovation, heart-warming demonstrations of solidarity but also disturbing signs of self-interest, blame-shifting & division."

WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan had said earlier that "vaccines do not equal zero Covid" warning against treating it as a silver bullet.

"Vaccination will add a major, major, powerful tool to the tool kit that we have. But by themselves, they will not do the job," Ryan said while Tedros asserted that there was was "growing perception that the pandemic is over".

The WHO said 51 candidate vaccines were currently being tested on humans, with 13 reaching final-stage mass testing. 

Tedros had said earlier that would be happy to have a coronavirus vaccine, however, he said "I need to make sure it's my turn. I don't want to take anybody's vaccine."

Tedros applauded US president-elect Joe Biden and ex-US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton who have volunteered the take the jabs to ensure public trust for the vaccine.

"It's a good idea... I think it's very good that they already have shown their commitment. They can influence," he said, adding,"they are influencers."