Coronavirus COVID-19 vaccine 1 year to 18 months away, human trials in Spain and Norway starting soon: WHO

WHO Director General spoke about the G20 countries commitment to fight the pandemic and thanked them for making efforts to safeguard the global economy, address international trade disruptions and enhance global cooperation.

As the world is fighting the health emergency situation due to the coronavirus outbreak, the vaccine for the disease may take 1 year to 18 months time said the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday (March28,2020).

Stressing on the urgency for therapeutics to treat patients and save lives, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday (March 28,2020) announced that human trails will soon began in Norway and Spain. He said, ''Today we are delighted to announce that in Norway and Spain, the first patients will shortly be enrolled in the Solidarity Trial, which will compare the safety and effectiveness of four different drugs or drug combinations against COVID-19.''

Talking about the global data Tedros said that more than lakhs of people have recovered of coronavirus across globe. He said, ''There are now, more than half a million confirmed cases of #COVID19 and more than 20,000 deaths. These are tragic numbers, but let us also remember that around the world, more than a hundred thousand people have recovered.''

Asking people across the world to fight the pandemic bravely, Ghebreyesus gave the message of ''we must fight, unite and ignite.'' He further explained his message saying, ''Fight to stop the virus with every resource at our disposal;Unite to confront the pandemic together. We are one humanity, with one, common enemy. No country can fight alone; we can only fight together. And ignite the industrial might and innovation of the G20 to produce and distribute the tools needed to save lives.''

"We must also make a promise to future generations, saying: 'never again'," Tedros added.

While addressing a press briefing, the WHO Director General also spoke about the G20 countries commitment to fight the pandemic and thanked them for making efforts to safeguard the global economy, address international trade disruptions and enhance global cooperation. 

Meanwhile, he also bought forward the need of protective gears and informed, '' WHO has shipped almost 2 million individual items of protective gear to 74 countries that need it most, and we’re preparing to send a similar amount to a further 60 countries.''

He said he had urged the G20 countries to use their "industrial might and innovation" to produce and distribute the tools needed to save more lives.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed 27,198 people across goble and 593,291 cases has been registered across 176 countries as per Johns Hopkins University tally at 6.30 am IST on Saturday.