38th WHO Regulatory Update on COVID-19

Overview

The global number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths reported to WHO has passed over 220 million cases and 4.5 million deaths. The situation is very different from region to region, country to country, province to province and town to town. Some regions and countries continue to see steep increases in cases and deaths, while in others they are declining. Getting vaccinated, maintaining physical distancing, cleaning hands, avoiding crowded and closed spaces, and wearing a mask are ‘anti-lockdown measures’: they can prevent the spread of disease without having to shut down large parts of society. However, the inequitable distribution of the tools which assist in mitigating transmission or save lives - including diagnostics, oxygen, PPE and vaccines- is driving a two-track pandemic. This inequity will prolong the acute stage of this pandemic for years when it could be over in a matter of months. If this virus is circulating anywhere, it’s a threat everywhere.