The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the acute phase of the pandemic could end this year, if around 70 per cent of the world gets vaccinated.

“Our expectation is that the acute phase of this pandemic will end this year, of course with one condition, the 70pc vaccination (target is achieved) by mid this year around June, July,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told reporters in South Africa.

“If that is to be done, the acute phase can really end, and that is what we are expecting. It's in our hands. It's not a matter of chance. It's a matter of choice.”