As countries ease restrictions, WHO warns COVID-19 might never go away

As many countries see the pace of new COVID-19 infections start to slow, the U.S. and Europe are starting to lift some restrictions. However, the WHO has once again emphasized that COVID-19 is still a risk. Kim Sung-min reports. Some countries in Europe and the U.S. have begun moving towards easing COVID-19 lockdowns and reopening their economies. However, the WHO warns that relaxing lockdowns without sufficient ability to detect fresh outbreaks could lead to a "vicious cycle" of public health and economic disasters. Executive Director of the WHO's emergencies program, Mike Ryan, said Wednesday that risks from COVID-19 still remain at "national, regional and global levels"..., adding that the virus could in fact never go away. "This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities. And this virus may never go away. HIV has not gone away..., And I'm not comparing the two diseases, but I think it is important that we be realistic. And I don't think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear." Countries that believe they have passed the peak of infections are gearing up to resume economic activities. European Union has announced it will gradually open borders, promising to have a tourist season this summer. London has resumed the normal operation of public transport.... and France has also relaxed some restrictions on public life. Over in the U.S., the country is still grappling with COVID-19 but most states have resumed some economic activities. Most states have ended their stay-at-home orders, and only a few areas like New York and Washington DC have kept those stay-at-home orders in place. However, U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci... has warned that reopening the economy could lead to more "little spikes that might turn into outbreaks."

• 2020-05-14T14:15:34+00:00
• Duration: 01:57

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