WHO warns that ignoring COVID rules could lead to third and fourth waves

The world could face third and fourth waves of the COVID pandemic if people continue to flout restrictions, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) chief has warned.

Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, told a briefing on Friday that “small changes in behaviour can lead to huge changes in the spread of the virus”.

“We think we’re through this, we’re not,” he said.

Ryan warned that many people had started to relax as vaccine programmes were rolled out.

“We should not waste the hope that vaccines bring,” he added.

“By dropping our guard in other areas we could see third and fourth waves.”

Ryan was responding to a media question about the rapid increase in cases in Brazil, where a new coronavirus variant has been detected.

Source : Agencies