The head of the World Health Organisation has warned that scientists may never find a ‘silver bullet’ in the treatment for coronavirus, despite progress being made on ‘a number’ of potential vaccines. 

Speaking six months since the WHO declared the new coronavirus outbreak as a ‘public health emergency of international concern’, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sounded a note of caution to those hoping the worst might soon be over. 

He told a media briefing: ‘A number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials and we all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection. However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be.’

His remarks came following a meeting of the WHO-convened emergency committee of international experts on Friday.

Countries around the world are locked in a race to test and produce a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19.

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Last month, early results from human trials of the coronavirus vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford suggested it is safe and induces an immune response.

Meanwhile, some 30,000 volunteers are taking part in a large-scale trial of an experimental vaccine in the US which got under way last Monday.

Dr Tedros said the committee recommended that countries ‘participate in relevant clinical trials, and prepare for safe and effective therapeutics and vaccine introduction’.

He went on: ‘We learn every day about this virus and I’m pleased that the world has made progress in identifying treatments that can help people with the most serious forms of Covid-19 recover.’

But he also warned that countries should not rely on a vaccine being available any time soon and expressed concern about the rising number of infections in many countries that had previously seen the number of cases falling.

He said: ‘Over the past week we’ve seen several countries that appeared as though they were past the worst now contending with fresh spikes in cases.

‘However, we’ve also seen how some countries, regions or localities that had a high number of cases are now bringing the outbreak under control.

‘For now, stopping outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control. Testing, isolating and treating patients, and tracing and quarantining their contacts. Do it all.

‘For individuals, it’s about keeping physical distance, wearing a mask, cleaning hands regularly and coughing safely away from others. Do it all.’

More than eight million cases of coronavirus were recorded across the world in July – nearly as many as the first six months of the outbreak put together.

Global infections passed 18 million last week, prompting the WHO to warn that the pandemic continues to accelerate, with cases doubling about every six weeks.‘

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