The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today denounced vaccine diplomacy in which he sees “geopolitical maneuvers that only delay the end of the pandemic.

“The only choice needed to end this pandemic is cooperation,” said the WHO Director-General.

“The current vaccine diplomacy is not cooperation, it is a geopolitical maneuver,” he accused.

“We can not defeat this virus by competing with each other. “If we are competing for resources or for geopolitical advantages, then it is the virus that benefits,” Tedros insisted.

Tedros noted that over the past week alone, the pandemic has killed nearly 90,000 more people and infected about 5.4 million.

During his two-week press conference, he warned against any complacency in regions where health is improving, but remains “on a plateau at an unacceptable level.”