An ominous warning has been issued by a top World Health Organisation official who claims that the next pandemic is “looming."
Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization's Regional Director for Europe, made the statement earlier this week – but it won't be a virus or disease that causes it. He claimed that the next pandemic will be a mental health crisis, and put it squarely down to the world being in a state of “perma-crisis."
Speaking to Turkish news outlet Anadolu, he explained that several wars, the previous pandemic and each country's own internal issues – and, of course, climate change – is all building to a mental health pandemic.
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He said: “The latest data from the EU shows that one out of six people in the EU has some distress, anxiety, and sleeping problems. The youth is anxious about the climate. They know that the world is heating up everywhere. There are wars between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Gaza.
“The people are busy with that. We are living in what I call a ‘perma-crisis.’ There is a permanent crisis and for people, this impacts the mental status. Mental health issues (are what) I call the next pandemic. We are working together to strengthen the mental health of the population.”
He went on to claim that the world urgently needs “peace” and that this is the “most important medicine.” Klug also talked about the recent controversy of the AstraZenica cornavirus vaccine being taken off the market – with some claiming it was due to side effects.
He addressed claims that the vaccines were all rolled out too quickly during the pandemic, too. “Whenever WHO is certifying a vaccine, it is to be considered safe and effective,” he explained
“Now I do understand the concern of many people. Because usually, it takes about 10 years to develop a new vaccine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, after one and a half years, not one but up to four vaccines were developed already.
“They are people who have legitimate concerns. The right information did not reach them.”
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