A World Health Organization official said on Monday that only public health measures, not vaccines, can prevent a new surge of Covid-19 cases as the first vaccines are administered in Britain, according to Reuters.

“Vaccines are a great tool, they will be very helpful, but the effect of the vaccine in providing some kind of immune barrier is still far off,” said Dr Margaret Harris in response to a question at a Geneva briefing about whether the vaccines would come in time to prevent a third wave of cases in Europe.

“The things that must be done to prevent an increase, an uptick, a surge or whatever you want to call it are the public health measures,” she added.