Anchor: The World Health Organization is warning that COVID-19 may never go away. Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr. Mike Ryan suggested this grim possibility, warning that the world needs to be realistic. The United Nations meanwhile is urging governments to protect the most vulnerable from mental health crises during and after COVID-19.
Kim Bum-soo reports.   

Report: The World Health Organization's(WHO) emergencies director says that the novel coronavirus may be here to stay, and the world might have to learn to live with it.   

[Sound bite: Dr. Mike Ryan - Executive Director, World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program] 
"This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities. And this virus may never go away. HIV has not gone away. Well, we've come to terms with the virus and we have found the therapies and we found the prevention methods. And people don't feel as scared as they did before. And we're offering life to people with HIV long, healthy lives, to people with HIV."  

Dr. Michael Ryan discussed the grim possibility during an online press briefing Wednesday, saying one cannot predict when or if COVID-19 will disappear. 

[Sound bite: Dr. Mike Ryan - Executive Director, World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program]
"We do have one great hope. If we do find a highly effective vaccine that we can distribute to everyone who needs it and the world we work, we may have a shot at eliminating this virus, but that vaccine will have to be available. It'll have to be highly effective. It will have to be made available. To everyone. And we will have to use it before we began responding to this event on the 21st of December."  

Dr. Ryan said there remains hope that an effective vaccine will be developed, but even then it will require a tremendous amount of work to produce the shots and distribute them the world over. 

Nearly 300-thousand people have succumbed to the pandemic as well over four-point-three million people have so far been infected worldwide. 

With the coronavirus outbreak showing no signs of letting up anytime soon, the United Nations is warning that the pandemic might lead to a major global mental health crisis. 

[Sound bite: UN Secretary-General António Guterres] 
"... the COVID-19 virus is not only attacking our physical health; it is also increasing psychological suffering.Grief at the loss of loved ones…Shock at the loss of jobs…Isolation and restrictions on movement…Difficult family dynamics…Uncertainty and fear for the future... " 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a video message Wednesday, saying it's time for governments to do more to help all those facing mounting mental pressures.

[Sound bite: UN Secretary-General António Guterres]  
"Those most at risk are frontline healthcare workers, older people, adolescents and young people, those with pre-existing mental health conditions and those caught up in conflict and crisis."

He said even when the pandemic is brought under control, grief, anxiety and depression will continue to affect people and communities.  
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.