The World Health Organization believes that no country or community is likely to soon reach the required level of herd immunity to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, not even those that have experienced widespread outbreaks of the pandemic with intensive transmission of the new coronavirus among them. During his report on the evolution of the pandemic at the organization's annual meeting, the executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, Mike Ryan, stated, "Studies indicate that more than 80% of the community needs to be vaccinated to prevent the transmission of the virus, but data from antibody tests worldwide reveal that no country has attained this level of natural immunity."
Ryan emphasized that a large part of the world's population remains susceptible to infection. He noted that given the epidemiological situation and problems in providing vaccines to all who need them, it is essential to maintain preventive measures, including social distancing, wearing masks, ensuring good ventilation, and continuing to pursue the virus through COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.
**A Fragile and Volatile Situation**
The WHO estimates that the global situation remains "fragile and volatile," with fewer cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 in many parts of the world. Data provided by countries confirms that 40% of individuals displaying symptoms suffer from mild COVID-19, while another 40% experience moderate illness; however, the remaining 20% suffer from severe to critical infections. Among those, 16% are currently dying, which represents an improvement in combating the disease, given that the mortality rate among patients with severe cases at the beginning of the pandemic was 40%.
