In a New Year message on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the past year saw the fastest and most wide-reaching response to a global health emergency in human history. Vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools have also been developed at a record rate, but it is necessary to ensure that all risk groups have access to vaccines.

To ignore the lessons gained in 2020 or to help each other walk the last miles of the crisis together? He said the choice is easy, that "there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we will get there by taking the path together."