The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
  • Economic Essay Contest
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Mon, January 25, 2021 | 03:33
Health & Welfare
Bill Gates makes more coronavirus predictions, good and bad news
Posted : 2020-04-09 13:54
Updated : 2020-04-09 15:25
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
Bill Gates, chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gestures during a session at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. AP
Bill Gates, chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gestures during a session at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. AP

Bill Gates, chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, gestures during a session at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019. AP
Bill Gates, now known best for warning the world five years ago about a coming pandemic, delivered more predictions on Wednesday about Covid-19, some bound to disappoint and others optimistic.

The bad news is that an effective Covid-19 vaccine is not likely until somewhere around September 2021, and the US will not be able to ease up on social distancing measures that have shut broad swathes of its economy until the end of May this year without risking a resurgence in cases.

Gates's estimated 18-month time frame assumes that vaccine development efforts his foundation is funding will move at "full speed, … taking a little bit of risk on the side effects", and the manufacturing capacities for all of the most promising ones under development immediately even though few of the candidates will prove to be effective.

Ten of about 100 vaccines under development "are very promising", including the Moderna-NIAID vaccine funded by an international consortium based in Oslo, Norway called Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI. One of these 10 vaccines, called Moderna-NIAID, went into its first phase of human trials on March 16, and others will start testing within the next month.

Once the US has brought Covid-19 under control in the April-May time frame, "I do think that things like running factories, doing construction, going back to school, those things can be done," Gates said, adding that professional sporting events will be less likely until a vaccine is available and enough people receive it.

The good news, according to Gates, is that the world will not likely face another pandemic after Covid-19 because lessons learned about testing and surveillance, and internationally financed medical solutions now under way to respond to the current crisis, will be able to contain future human pathogens before they reach the "global, tragic scale" of the current one.

The focus for Gates's Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which partly supports the CEPI vaccine trials, and for health authorities and many pharmaceutical companies globally "has shifted to accelerating, not only the vaccines, but also therapeutics, so that if we could find drugs, which can be antivirals or immune suppressants or antibodies, there's actually multiple classes that could come more rapidly", Gates said.

He added that such coordinated global infrastructure devoted to a medical response to pandemics could make effective therapeutics available within four to six months of an outbreak.












 
WooriBank
 
  • The death of K-pop
  • Tesla vs. Korea
  • 'Hair today, gone tomorrow!' Inventive Russian thrives in Jemulpo
  • First case of pet cat with COVID-19 confirmed in Korea: PM
  • Politicians eating in traditional market raises eyebrows
  • Outback raises prices again to prepare for sale
  • Biden's security team raises hopes for rapid North Korea policy review
  • Companies get aggressive about capital increases
  • Someone in Michigan wins ticket for $1.05 billion jackpot
  • New virus cases under 400 again
  • Hyun Bin thanks Son Ye-jin after winning grand prize at 2020 APAN Star Awards Hyun Bin thanks Son Ye-jin after winning grand prize at 2020 APAN Star Awards
  • Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo: Music is my destiny Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo: Music is my destiny
  • K-pop female artists heat up competition in chart race with comebacks this month K-pop female artists heat up competition in chart race with comebacks this month
  • HyunA to drop new EP, ending yearlong hiatus HyunA to drop new EP, ending yearlong hiatus
  • Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies after testing positive for COVID-19 Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies after testing positive for COVID-19
DARKROOM
  • Biden takes office as 46th president

    Biden takes office as 46th president

  • Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

    Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape

  • Second Trump impeachment

    Second Trump impeachment

  • Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

    Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

  • Our children deserve better (Part 2)

    Our children deserve better (Part 2)

WooriBank
  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright