London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

WHO says Covid still 'very dangerous virus' and we're only at 'halfway mark'

WHO says Covid still 'very dangerous virus' and we're only at 'halfway mark'

As the government scraps the majority of the remaining Covid restrictions this week, the WHO has rejected claims the pandemic is over

The World Health Organisation has hit back at suggestions that Britain should learn to live with Covid-19 “like it does flu”.

Dr David Nabarro, the WHO’s special envoy for Covid-19, suggested we may be “just passing the halfway mark” of the pandemic, with a number of dangerous new variants still to emerge.

He told Sky News: “I keep wondering what the people who make these amazing predictions know that I and my colleagues in the World Health Organisation don’t know.

“You see, what people are seeing from around the world and reporting to the WHO is this is still a very, very dangerous virus, especially for people who have not been vaccinated and who’ve not been exposed to it before.

“It can also mutate and form variants and we’ve seen several but we know there are more not far away.

Dr. David Nabarro


“So quite honestly, we are not saying that this should be considered to be like flu or indeed like anything else.

“It’s a new virus, and we must go on treating it as though it is full of surprises, very nasty and rather cunning.”

The Government has removed the legal requirement to wear masks and has declared the UK has passed the Omicron peak.

Tory backbenchers are pressuring the Government to do away with remaining Covid-19 rules such as the requirement to self-isolate.

Asked whether the end of the pandemic is in sight for the countries in Europe, Dr Nabarro said: “The end is in sight, but how long is it going to take to get there? What sort of difficulties will we face on the way?

“Those are the questions that none of us can answer because this virus continues to give us challenges and surprises.”

He added: “It’s as though we’re just passing the halfway mark in a marathon and we can see that yes, there is an end and fast runners are getting through ahead of us.

“But we’ve still got a long, long way to trudge and it’s going to be tough.”

Yesterday(Mon) the UK reported 88,447 more confirmed Covid-19 cases and 56 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Last week PM Boris Johnson told MPs: “There will soon come a time when we can remove the legal requirement to self-isolate altogether, just as we don’t place legal obligations on people to isolate if they have flu.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Sadly, people die of flu as well. In a bad flu year, you can sadly lose about 20,000 lives, but we don’t shut down our entire country and put in place lots of restrictions to deal with it.

“We need to continue with our lives with sensible, appropriate and proportionate measures.”

World Health Organisation Regional Director for Europe Hans Henri P. Kluge


At a press conference in Germany yesterday(Mon), WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “The COVID-19 pandemic is now entering its third year and we are at a critical juncture.

“We must work together to bring the acute phase of this pandemic to an end. We cannot let it continue to drag on, lurching between panic and neglect.”

Dr Hans Henri Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: “The pandemic is far from over, but I am hopeful we can end the emergency phase in 2022.”

A Government adviser said it is not certain the viruses become less severe over time.

Professor Peter Openshaw who has been made a CBE for services to medicine and immunology in the New Year Honours


Prof Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said: “We have no way of concluding that viruses have to become less severe over time.

“It could be the next variant - and there will be another - could be more severe for all we know.

“There’s no rule about this.”

He said reinfections - where somebody tests positive again after a previous bout of Covid - are increasing.

“Omicron and sub-lineages of them are able to escape previous immunity so they are going to increase in number over time,” he added.

Scientists are concerned that a new variant, dubbed Stealth Omicron, could spread faster than the original version.

The strain, named Omicron BA.2, has been identified more than 420 times in the UK since November, with cases multiplying in some parts of Europe and India.

BA.2 was last week classified as a “variant under investigation” by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Data suggests that Denmark is currently the epicentre of the new variant, with more than 6,400 confirmed cases.

Virologist Dr Tom Peacock, from Imperial College London, said: “Even with slightly higher transmissibility this absolutely is not a Delta to Omicron change, and instead is likely to be slower and more subtle.

“That said, I would not be surprised if BA.2 slowly replaces [Omicron] over the coming months with a slightly more “optimised” mutations.’”

Comments

Oh ya 3 year ago
No way, i remember just 2 weeks to flatten the curve and it would be won 2 years ago. These tyrants love their new found power over you and will not stop until we stand and say no. So grow a pair folks

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×