The director of the Robert Koch Federal Institute for the Study of Infectious Diseases, Lothar Fellier, considered that the epidemic of the new Corona virus “COVID-19” will continue for at least two years, expecting to prepare the first vaccine against it in 2021.
“The epidemic is evolving in waves,” Feller said at a press conference today, Tuesday. This is for sure. But how fast are these waves? When will the expectations that we talk about always be fulfilled and indicate that the epidemic will affect 60% to 70% of the Earth’s population? This process may extend for years, but we proceed from an estimate that it may take two years.
The Director of the Robert Koch Institute, which is affiliated with the German Ministry of Health, pointed out that the course of the epidemic’s spread depends on a large number of different motives, and nothing accurate can be predicted regarding this matter.
Feller explained that the speed of the epidemic will be greatly influenced by the time of preparing an effective vaccine against the virus, noting: “The sooner we get the vaccine, the faster we can reduce the spread of the epidemic. But even the emergence of the vaccine does not mean vaccinating everyone with it immediately, because this matter is linked to the quantities available for the vaccine.
The German scientist pointed out that starting the production of vaccine doses requires, above all, accurate tests of its effectiveness and the seriousness of its side effects, adding: “I am convinced that the vaccine will be ready next year. I would be glad if I made a mistake by one or two months. ”
The World Health Organization confirmed, in late January 2020, that the threat posed by the spread of the new type of corona virus, from the Chinese city of Wuhan, is an emergency for the world, calling for the necessary measures to be taken at the international level to confront the disease.
In view of the accelerating spread of the virus, which has so far reached nearly 150 countries, the organization classified the outbreak on March 11, a general epidemic, and up to the moment recorded 187,405 cases in the world, including 7,478 deaths and 80,848 cases of recovery.
The United States and China confirmed yesterday, Monday, the start of clinical trials of the vaccine against the virus, while Chinese scientists said they are currently working on developing and installing 8 different vaccines against this strain.
Source: Agencies
