Young person might have to wait until 2022 to get vaccine: WHO scientist Saumya Swaminathan

WHO chief scientist Saumya Swaminathan has said that "healthy, young person" might have to wait until 2022 to get the coronavirus vaccine.

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“Most people agree, it’s starting with healthcare workers, and frontline workers, but even there, you need to define which of them are at highest risk, and then the elderly, and so on," Swaminathan said.

"There will be a lot of guidance coming out, but I think an average person, a healthy young person might have to wait until 2022 to get a vaccine,” the WHO  scientist added.

As Europe witnesses a surge in virus cases, the WHO said it was of "great concern". France has been the worst-hit due to the virus in recent weeks with 30,000 cases reported for the first time.

Hans Kluge, Europe's WHO regional director said that although the situation wasn't as bad as in March and April in the continent but warned that government's need to "step up the measures" to combat the virus.

"The collateral damage on the people was too much," Kluge asserted.

France has imposed a curfew in Paris including in eight other cities as the virus continues to make inroads into the country. In Poland, the government has asked people to work from home even as Switzerland reported deterioration in virus cases.

The virus has so far infected over 40 million people worldwide and led to over 1.1 million fatalities. Meanwhile, China reported 24 new coronavirus cases on Thursday which it said were all "imported".

China also reported ten new asymptomatic cases on Thursday. The country currently has 85,646 confirmed coronavirus cases with 4,634 fatalities.