No ‘silver bullet’ to defeat coronavirus and ‘there might never be’

The World Health Organization said Monday there may never be a magical cure for the coronavirus even as scientists and drugmakers across the globe race to find a safe and effective vaccine.

Scientists have made progress in identifying treatments that can help people with the most severe forms of Covid-19, and a number of vaccines are in late-stage trials, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference from the agency’s Geneva headquarters. “However, there is no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be.”

Tedros wasn’t asked about Russia’s claims that it will be ready to start mass inoculations in October. There are no-FDA approved drugs for the coronavirus, which has infected more than 18 million people worldwide and killed at least 689,625, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

However, public health officials say there is no returning to “normal” until there’s a vaccine. There are more than 150 vaccines under development worldwide, according to the WHO. At least 25 are already in clinical trials.

WHO reported Friday the largest single-day increase in cases at almost 300,000 new cases in 24 hours. WHO officials have warned there is no going back to the “old normal” as the coronavirus pandemic accelerates in the United States and poorer, developing countries.

WHO says there’s no ‘silver bullet’ to defeat coronavirus and ‘there might never be’, CNBC, Aug 4