The World Health Organization (WHO) claims that even if COVID-19 vaccines are now available, there will be no herd immunity. The health organization suggested that people should still conduct social distancing and other safety measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

WHO Says People Should Maintain Social Distancing Since No Herd Immunity Will Happen This 2021
(Photo : Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Customers wear face masks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus as they line up to enter a Costco Wholesale store April 16, 2020 in Wheaton, Maryland. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered that all people must wear some kind of face mask to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 when on public transportation, grocery stores, retail establishments and other places where social distancing is not always possible.

The announcement is very important today, especially since there are new strains of COVID-19 discovered in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist, explained that herd immunity is still hard to achieve this 2021.

"Because even as vaccines start protecting the most vulnerable, we are not going to achieve any level of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021, and even if it happens in a couple of pockets in a few countries, it's not going to protect people across the world," explained Swaminathan via CNN's latest report.

What the public should do

WHO's chief scientist said that the public should still conduct safety measures. These include social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, and other safety habits.

WHO Says People Should Maintain Social Distancing Since No Herd Immunity Will Happen This 2021
(Photo : Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)
Commuters wearing face masks make their way to work on March 26, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike held a press conference last night to request citizens to refrain from going outside this weekend for nonessential reasons after 41 cases of new coronavirus infections were confirmed yesterday. She warned that Tokyo, one of the largest and most densely populated cities on earth, could face a lockdown if there is a surge in new coronavirus cases.

Also Read: Japanese Health Ministry Discovers New COVID-19 Variant Different From UK, Africa Mutations

Swaminathan added that although the vaccines will soon come to other countries, it is still important to always be aware of your surroundings.

He suggested that it is important to remind the people, even those working in the government, about their roles in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The WHO expert reiterated that everyone should still conduct safety measures until the end of 2021.

WHO says new COVID-19 variants will stress hospitals

According to CNBC's latest report, WHO said that the new COVID-19 variants will further stress out many hospitals since they are highly problematic.

The health organization said that the new coronaviruses could lead to more hospitalization cases. WHO said that the new variants appear to have some of the same mutations as other strains discovered in South Africa and the United Kingdom.

However, WHO health experts added that although the new COVID-19 variants are more infectious, they don't make people sicker or develop more severe symptoms.

For more news updates about COVID-19, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.

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