*Errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)
Good morning and good afternoon to journalists and others across the Region joining us online.
You may have watched the forum earlier this morning that we convened jointly with The Lancet COVID-19 Commission. Many interesting points were made by speakers from across Asia and the Pacific.
As 2020 comes to a close, we’ve been reflecting on the response to COVID-19. In particular, how countries and areas in this Region have managed to keep numbers comparatively low, lessons that can help in the year to come, and what each of us needs to do to minimize the illness, death and disruption that this virus can cause going forward.
As Babatunde mentioned, the COVID-19 situation in the Americas and Europe is incredibly challenging for people and the governments there.
In this global context, the Western Pacific Region has been comparatively fortunate. While every country has had a different experience of COVID-19, overall the impact in the Western Pacific has been less severe than elsewhere.
More than a quarter of the people on Earth live in this Region, but to date we’ve had just 1% of confirmed cases recorded globally.
But this doesn’t take away the fact that it's been a year of unprecedented challenges for people in this Region. Not for a moment. It has been devastating for thousands of families who lost loved ones, incredibly difficult for countless others who lost jobs, and challenging for children.
Whoever you are, and wherever you live, as long as the virus is circulating somewhere, we all remain at risk. We must keep preparing for the worst case scenario.
In that regard, I want to make two particular appeals today.
My first appeal is to younger, more socially-active people—those under the age of 40.
I know how tired you are of this pandemic, and I understand the anxieties, fears and uncertainties you’re feeling, the disruption to your lives and the difficult choices you’re having to make.
Some of you may not even feel particularly vulnerable to this disease. You might think that even if you get infected, you won’t get very sick. But the truth is, you can.
And aside from your personal vulnerability, I urge you to think about those who may be at higher risk of severe COVID. If you catch the virus, you could unknowingly pass it on to your parent or grandparent, your neighbour or friend with an underlying
condition.
I also urge you to think of health workers. Perhaps you have a friend or relative who’s a doctor or a nurse. They have been working day and night for almost a year. They are exhausted.
So please do everything you can to avoid infection. For yourself, and for everybody around you. By following the advice of health authorities, you can directly contribute to protect the lives of people in your community, and in doing so, to reviving your
societies and economies in 2021.
I also want to appeal to governments across the Region—please add additional layers of surveillance that pick up early signs of clusters of infection, among those groups that are difficult to catch with existing systems.
My second plea is related to vaccines.
The news of COVID vaccines starting to roll out in the UK and USA is very promising. There is some light at the end of a long tunnel. But these vaccines are not a ‘silver bullet’ that will end the pandemic in the near future.
The development of safe and effective vaccines is one thing; producing them in adequate quantities and reaching everyone who needs them is another. They will initially only be available in limited quantities, and high-risk groups should be prioritized first.
This means that—tired as we all are of this pandemic—we must stick to the actions and behaviours which protect not only ourselves, but also those around us: hand washing, mask wearing, physical distancing and avoiding places that have a high
risk of transmission.
So, as we prepare to mark important religious and cultural festivals like Christmas and new year, please remember that the best way to show love and care for those in your life is to not give a hug or gather in large groups the way you might normally do.
I know this is difficult. But, for now, we must keep making the choices that will reduce transmission of the virus and protect our families and our communities. By doing so, we can go into 2021 with hope.
Thank you very much.