Sj Desk
United in disaster, together the world awaits a vaccine for the deadly COVID-19 that will lift the pause pressed so suddenly on our lives. On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that a vaccine may be the only thing that can bring back “normalcy." He hoped for things to go back the way they were before the novel coronavirus struck us by the end of this year.
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During a video conference with over 50 African countries that are members of the United Nations, the UN chief said: “A safe and effective vaccine may be the only tool that can return the world to a sense of ‘normalcy,’ saving millions of lives and countless trillions of dollars."
He called for its accelerated development and accessibility to all, adding it must have a “universal global benefit” and “allow us to control the pandemic.”
“We need an ambitious effort to ensure that international stakeholders operate through a harmonized, integrated and leveraged approach to maximize the speed and scale needed for the universal deployment of such a vaccine by the end of 2020,” he insisted.
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Guterres also said that through the World Health Organization (WHO) the United Nations has been able to equip 47 African countries with COVID-19 tests.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has halted funds to WHO saying "The WHO failed in its basic duty and it must be held accountable." He said that the organization had severely mismanaged and covered up the spread of the coronavirus. He called WHO "China-centric."
Responding to Donald Trump's decision, Antonio Guterres said that this was "not the time" to halt funds to the World Health Organization (WHO).
