Under the title "WHO Warns of a Threat to Humanity," the Arabic website reported that following recent warnings about the spread of the Delta variant in many countries, particularly in the Middle East where it has affected 16 countries to date, the World Health Organization has sounded the alarm regarding a significant threat to the world. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that humanity is now in real danger due to the spread of COVID-19, despite successful vaccination campaigns. He added in a statement published on the organization's website that the world has made significant progress in vaccine development in a record time, but it is now under real threat as many previous successes have been undermined.
The organization revealed that the increase in COVID-19 cases is an indicator that people are not complying with the imposed preventive measures, and that health systems are functioning inconsistently, with uneven vaccination rates. He also emphasized that global disparities in access to vaccines against COVID-19 still exist, where poorer countries are vaccinating significantly fewer people compared to wealthy countries that produce vaccines and have begun planning for booster shots.
It is worth noting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. issued new guidelines last week after evidence suggested that vaccinated individuals could become infected and transmit the more contagious Delta variant to others. This came at a time when many people believed that vaccines allowed them to return to the normal life they had before the pandemic, raising questions about whether they needed to change their daily routines, according to a report by the American newspaper "The Washington Post."
The new Delta variant has changed all calculations, forcing people to determine which activities to participate in. Vaccinated individuals must consider two factors: the medical risks to their household and the value of activities to them; if there is a chance to forgo an activity, it may be wise to do so. According to U.S. data, vaccinated individuals are nearly 8 times less likely to get infected compared to the unvaccinated, and even when infected, vaccinated individuals typically experience symptoms similar to a cold at most.
Reports have confirmed that while vaccines are a crucial factor in managing the virus, they are not bulletproof shields, and breakthrough infections can occur. Thus, studies urge those who have been vaccinated to still follow precautionary measures alongside vaccination to prevent any complications or surprises brought by the pandemic.
