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Coronavirus may never go away, the World Health Organization has warned, adding that no one can predict when the disease will disappear.
The WHO also warned that a mental health crisis is looming. Devora Kestel, head of the organization’s mental health department, warned of a rise in mental illness among young people and frontline workers as a result of the “isolation, the fear, the uncertainty, the economic turmoil” that could cause emotional distress. The report urged governments around the world to prioritize mental health and well-being.
Coronavirus lockdowns around the world are gradually lifting, a move that is sparking concerns about a second wave of the virus. Dr. Tedros acknowledged the desire to escape restrictions to daily life, but urged countries to remain on the highest alert.
Treatment or a vaccine for COVID-19 is, at best, a year away, although scientists at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London believe a vaccine could be available as early as September. Scores of potential vaccines are currently being developed around the world.
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