WHO Secretary-General: "North Korea and Eritrea Are the Only Countries Not Yet Starting Vaccinations"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on the 12th (local time) that only North Korea and Eritrea in Africa have not yet started COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide.

At a briefing that day, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated, "Through COVAX, the international project for the joint purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, 500 million doses have been delivered to 144 countries so far," adding, "All countries except Eritrea and North Korea have begun vaccinations."

He expressed concerns about the widening gap in vaccine access and urged the international community to address the issue.

He emphasized, "Booster shots are being administered six times more than first doses in low-income countries, and this must stop immediately."

WHO's goal is to have 40% of the population vaccinated against COVID-19 in all countries by the end of this year. For this, vaccines are necessary.

He pointed out, "Vaccines alone cannot end this pandemic, but without resolving the global vaccine crisis, the pandemic cannot be ended."

He also conveyed concerns about the COVID-19 surge in Europe. Director-General Tedros expressed worry that about 2 million new COVID-19 cases were reported in Europe last week, marking a record high.

He urged continued adherence to preventive measures such as vaccination, testing, mask-wearing, social distancing, and ventilation, stating, "Infections are occurring not only in Eastern Europe but also in Western Europe, where vaccination rates are high."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.