Is the COVID-19 pandemic nearly over?

It has been nearly three years since COVID-19 first emerged.

The disease has killed 6.5 million people and infected more than 600 million others around the globe.

But the World Health Organization says things are starting to improve.

The number of deaths last week was the lowest since March 2020 when the pandemic was declared.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the end of the pandemic ‘is in sight’ but has warned against complacecy.

Is that assessment realistic?

And what lessons can be learned in case we face another outbreak?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Dr Margaret Harris – Spokeswoman for the World Health Organization

Jeffrey Lazarus – Health Systems Research Group, Barcelona Institute for Global Health

Serah Makka – Interim Africa director for the One Campaign