GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the world’s influenza incidence rates fell during the covid-19 pandemic due to preventive measures against the coronavirus, but have now returned to pre-2020 levels. It is recommended that people at risk be vaccinated against the disease.
“The spread of viruses such as influenza, COVID-19 or respiratory syncytial virus can cause serious problems for health systems,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a weekly news conference.
“For this reason, the World Health Organization recommends vaccination against influenza and covid-19, especially for high-risk groups,” the Ethiopian expert added, referring to health workers, the elderly or those with certain chronic diseases. crowd.
The Head of State once again warned that although the worst phase of the Covid-19 epidemic has infected at least 771 million people and nearly 7 million since December 2019, the number of deaths and hospitalizations due to Covid-19 is still high. is increasing. death toll.