UN calls for “ambition” to end the COVID-19 pandemic by 2022

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday called for ambition from the international community to end the coronavirus pandemic within the remainder of the year by closing gaps in access to reinforcements, testing and preparedness for future pandemics.

“The virus is treatable. We can save lives. And we can control the virus, even among high-risk populations,” the UN secretary-general said during a meeting on COVID-10 organized in the framework of the UN General Assembly.

“If we could combine these tools with greater ambition among world leaders, we could end the pandemic this year,” Guterres added, adding that the pandemic could be under control even in the populations most at risk of suffering the most severe disease.

To this end, he indicated three priorities: booster vaccines to improve efficacy against COVID-19, greater access to tests to detect new variants, and a strengthened defense against future threats by investing in early warning systems.