Won't achieve 'herd immunity in 2021' despite Covid-19 vaccines: WHO

Scientists at the World Health Organization warned that mass vaccinations would not bring about herd immunity to the coronavirus this year, even as one leading producer boosted its production forecast.

 

Infections numbers are surging around the world, especially in Europe where nations have been forced to ramp up virus restrictions even as vaccines are rolled out.

"We are not going to achieve any levels of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021," she said, stressing the need to maintain physical dist­ancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing,” said WHO's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.