“Be prepared for the worst, even if it means being ‘over-prepared’.” This is how Maria Neira, Director of Public Health at the World Health Organization (WHO), responded to a question from a journalist about the possibility of a second wave of Covid-19 contaminations.
She was speaking at a press conference organised by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) on Wednesday 3 June about the call by millions of health professionals for G20 leaders to include health in their economic recovery plan.
Recalling that the first wave had not yet been completed, Ms Neira said that it was very difficult to predict a second wave, but that a smaller proportion could occur, perhaps in the autumn, when the flu strikes. “We don't know if there will be a second wave. What we do know is that in Europe the level of immunity of the general population is very low (5-7%). We need to be prepared”, she said, calling on Member States to have a robust epidemiological system to detect and respond quickly to the virus. She continued, “We can’t live at a permanent state of fear. But you have to be prepared without being too paranoid or too relaxed.” (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)