“We must live with virus until we halt spread” –
NCDC
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed Nigeria has
indicated interest to be part of the solidarity trial of a vaccine
for coronavirus (COVID-19) and that efforts are underway to start
the process in the country.
The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Fiona Braka made
this disclosure at the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce
on COVID-19 of which she is a member.
According to her, there are rigorous processes involved in
approving a vaccine for any disease adding that 89 vaccines are
currently in development globally.
Braka said: “on the subject of vaccines and clinical trials for
COVID-19, I will like to say that research and development is an
important aspect of the response and researchers around the world
are working hard on accelerating the development of vaccines and
therapeutics for Covid-19.
“WHO has launched various working groups to accelerate various
aspects of vaccine development.
“Together with global health actors and partners, over the past
week, WHO launched the Access to Covid-19 Tools ACT Accelerator, a
global collaboration to accelerate development for equitable access
to new Covid-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
“We have a total of 89 vaccines that are in development
globally, including seven in clinical evaluation and several
therapeutics are in clinical trials.
“WHO is committed to ensuring that as medicines and vaccines are
developed, they are shared equitably with all countries and
people.
“We do have the solidarity trial which is an international
clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for Covid-19,
launched by the WHO and partners.
“More than 100 countries have joined the solidarity trial and to
date, over 1, 200 patients have been randomized from the first five
countries to evaluate the safety and efficacy of full drug and drug
combinations.
“Nigeria has also expressed interest to be part of this
solidarity trial and efforts are underway to start the process in
Nigeria”, she added.
Meanwhile the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has urged citizens to
learn to live with the COVID-19 until there is a vaccine to halt
its spread.
He said “we really encourage all Nigerians, because we are at
the beginning of a journey and the most likely scenario is that
until we have a vaccine, we would have to learn to live with
COVID-19 in our country.
“We have to tell ourselves the truth about this and encourage
one another because there is no point doing that. All of us here
are just as vulnerable as catching the virus as are many other
people. We will do our best, but we will always have to remember
that it is a virus, you cannot build a wall and anything can still
happen in spite of our best efforts”, he added.
“We must live with virus until we halt spread” –
NCDC
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed Nigeria has
indicated interest to be part of the solidarity trial of a vaccine
for coronavirus (COVID-19) and that efforts are underway to start
the process in the country.
The WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Fiona Braka made
this disclosure at the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce
on COVID-19 of which she is a member.
According to her, there are rigorous processes involved in
approving a vaccine for any disease adding that 89 vaccines are
currently in development globally.
Braka said: “on the subject of vaccines and clinical trials for
COVID-19, I will like to say that research and development is an
important aspect of the response and researchers around the world
are working hard on accelerating the development of vaccines and
therapeutics for Covid-19.
“WHO has launched various working groups to accelerate various
aspects of vaccine development.
“Together with global health actors and partners, over the past
week, WHO launched the Access to Covid-19 Tools ACT Accelerator, a
global collaboration to accelerate development for equitable access
to new Covid-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
“We have a total of 89 vaccines that are in development
globally, including seven in clinical evaluation and several
therapeutics are in clinical trials.
“WHO is committed to ensuring that as medicines and vaccines are
developed, they are shared equitably with all countries and
people.
“We do have the solidarity trial which is an international
clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for Covid-19,
launched by the WHO and partners.
“More than 100 countries have joined the solidarity trial and to
date, over 1, 200 patients have been randomized from the first five
countries to evaluate the safety and efficacy of full drug and drug
combinations.
“Nigeria has also expressed interest to be part of this
solidarity trial and efforts are underway to start the process in
Nigeria”, she added.
Meanwhile the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, has urged citizens to
learn to live with the COVID-19 until there is a vaccine to halt
its spread.
He said “we really encourage all Nigerians, because we are at
the beginning of a journey and the most likely scenario is that
until we have a vaccine, we would have to learn to live with
COVID-19 in our country.
“We have to tell ourselves the truth about this and encourage
one another because there is no point doing that. All of us here
are just as vulnerable as catching the virus as are many other
people. We will do our best, but we will always have to remember
that it is a virus, you cannot build a wall and anything can still
happen in spite of our best efforts”, he added.