COVID-19 health emergency could be over this year, WHO says

By JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press

GENEVA (AP) — The head of emergencies at the World Health Organization says the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, including deaths, hospitalizations and lockdowns, could be over this year if huge inequities in vaccinations and medicines are addressed quickly. Dr. Michael Ryan said Tuesday on a vaccine equity panel discussion hosted by the World Economic Forum that “we may never end the virus” because such pandemic viruses “end up becoming part of the ecosystem.” But he says there’s “a chance to end the public health emergency this year if we do the things that we’ve been talking about.”