COVID pandemic accelerating, WHO Americas office warns

in several countries of South America the pandemic in the first four months of this year was worse than what we faced in 2020," PAHO Director Carissa Etienne said in a briefing. "This shows that we will only overcome this pandemic with a combination of rapid and equitable vaccine access and effective preventive measures.

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating, which is why equitable access to vaccines and effective preventive measures are crucial to helping turn the tide, the head of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said Wednesday.

"Our region is still under the grip of this pandemic ... in several countries of South America the pandemic in the first four months of this year was worse than what we faced in 2020," PAHO Director Carissa Etienne said in a briefing.

"This shows that we will only overcome this pandemic with a combination of rapid and equitable vaccine access and effective preventive measures. This pandemic is not only not over, it is accelerating," Etienne added.