COVID-19 pandemic could end in 2022 if global vaccination increases, WHO says

If every country can vaccinate at least 70 per cent of its population, the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic could end in 2022, the World Health Organization says.

The acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic could end by July 2022 if every country ends up vaccinating at least 70 per cent of its population, the World Health Organization says.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said on Wednesday that if that target is reached by then, the world could start to move on from the current phase of the pandemic.

“I want governments, industry and civil society to work with us on a campaign that targets 70 per cent vaccine coverage in every country by the start of July,” he said.

“I still remain optimistic this can be the year we could not only end the acute stage of the pandemic, but also chart a path to stronger health security.”

Tedros made the comments at a WHO COVID-19 update on Wednesday, just two days before the world hits the two-year anniversary of the discovery of the coronavirus.

It was on New Year’s Eve in 2019 when China first alerted the WHO to 27 cases of pneumonia of unknown origin in the city of Wuhan.

Since then, the disease has spread across the globe and produced multiple variants, the latest of which is Omicron – a variant driving up cases across the world, including in Canada.

Scientists have worked to find ways to combat the virus, including the creation of COVID-19 vaccines, which countries like Canada have purchased in abundance.