Coronavirus vaccine: WHO Eyes Hundreds of Millions of Doses

Chief scientist of the World Health Organization, Soumya Swaminathan, said Thursday that the organization hopes to produce hundreds of millions of Coronavirus vaccine doses this year, and produce two billion doses by the end of 2021.

Swaminathan added that WHO is developing plans to help in determining those who should receive the first doses, once a vaccine is approved.

She noted that the priority will be for  those most  in need of the vaccine doses such as front-line workers with high exposure, like medics; those most vulnerable to the disease, such as the elderly and diabetics; and people in high-transmission settings, such as prisons and care homes.

"I am hopeful and optimistic," Swaminathan said. "But developing a vaccine is complicated, and it is accompanied by a lot of uncertainty," she pointed out, according to Reuters.

It is worth mentioning that, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic as the new virus has rapidly spread to more than 121,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

More cases of the virus, which causes respiratory disease COVID-19, continue to emerge, with outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

People across the globe partake in self-isolation for 14 days as an effective precautionary measure to protect those around them and themselves from contracting COVID-19.

Transmission of virus between humans happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions, such as droplets in a cough.

It can also be transmitted by coming into contact with something an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

How to protect yourself from Coronavirus:

-Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty as washing hands with soap and water eliminates the virus if it is on the hands.

-When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – discard tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water to prevent the spread of germs and viruses. If you sneeze or cough into your hands, you can pass the virus to other people that you have contact with.

Eat fruits and vegetables that contain Vitamin C so that your immune system could be enhanced for better and be able to confront viruses.