GENEVA, July 13. /TASS/. The novel coronavirus will continue to spread, unless basic countering rules are complied with, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday.
"If the basics aren’t followed, there is only one way this pandemic is going to go," he noted. "It’s going to get worse and worse and worse."
The WHO head clarified that the basic public health principles include "physical distancing, hand washing, wearing masks, coughing etiquette and staying at home when sick."
"Every single leader, every single government and every single person can do their bit to break chains of transmission and end the collective suffering," the WHO head added. "I am not saying it’s easy; it’s clearly not. I know that many leaders are working in difficult circumstances. I know that there are other health, economic, social and cultural challenges to weigh up […] There are no shortcuts out of this pandemic. We all hope there will be an effective vaccine, but we need to focus on using the tools we have now to suppress transmission and save lives."
The official urged to take the virus spread under control "without shutting down our lives entirely," but admitted that the humanity will not be able to return to the "old normal" in the foreseeable future.