A do the figures add up. The pandemic has the structure the supply of vital medicines around the world and parts of africa that seen a spike in cases of malaria. And america after a lockdown could reopening the economy place long term limits on Civil Liberties. Thanks for joining us the World Health Organization has warned that people who recover from the corona virus may not be immune from reinfection the w. H. O. Says there is no evidence people who developed antibodies were protected from getting get a 2nd time so with that guarantee the Organization Says plans by some governments to roll out socalled immunity pos forts could be risky but an increasing number of countries are easing restrictions India Pakistan spain and some. American states are among the latest to lift some of their lockdown measures and its now been confirmed that more than 200000 people have died from the virus globally but in china where it all began there is optimism the country has not reported any deaths from the virus for 10 Straight Days where we challenge begins our coverage with more on that warning from the w h o. The u. K. Is one of many countries that has been looking at the idea of immunity passports this would be a way for people or some people at least to go back to work if they could prove that they already have had covert 19 and therefore its assumed that they have an immunity i wouldnt be able to get again or pass it on but the w. H. O. The World Health Organization is not keen on this idea for this reason well we do certainly understand the intention of trying to see who can go safely back who were who would be a van surely risk free also expecting other people but unfortunately from the scientific point of view we simply dont know for a person who has been infected with. 90. 2 prior. Gets this immunity and if it gets the immunity how long this immunity is lasting now there are always problems with the immunity passport idea to start with for one thing its very divisive if you have some people who are allowed to go back to work and some people arent at a time when most governments are trying to unify their populations and say were all in this together but this verdict from the w. H. O. That people dont necessarily have immunity anyway and also saying that the testing to prove this or not is a bit sketchy at the moment at the best well i think that kills the immunity passport idea for the moment at least until a science can suggest otherwise. Lets discuss this with. A University Professor who did knowledge in medicine at Columbia University shes joining us now via skype from new york thanks for your time with us on the news hour an interest only where you are new york governor says that the state is pressing ahead with these Antibody Tests so despite those reservations expressed by the World Health Organization so how do authorities now deal with this information. I think there there is concern certainly should be a concern and hesitation in embracing this idea of developing this type of passport or immunity passport from a lot of Different Reasons number one is we dont know what percent of people who actually get infected develop these antibodies we dont know whether its higher in people who have disease centenary disease nurses those who dont have symptoms we also dont know whether how long such anybodies were last in the body most importantly we dont know whether these antibodies mean that someone is prevented or protected from acquiring or getting this corner virus and then as as has been widely reported are some the tests themselves are not yet or in awe of all meaning that you can tell for sure that somebody is positive that theyre actually means that they are positive so there are lots of concerns at present regarding this whole approach certainly concerns but also a court is what youre saying there are a lot of unknowns so how do you then turn the unknowns into knowing what needs to be done because as you are saying there are already a lot of Antibody Tests going on in various several countries around the world. I think theres a need for research theres a need for actually doing surveys and trying to identify for example at risk people at risk who may have antibodies or dont have anybodys and then following them and seeing who potentially is protected and whos not protected this can be done for example amongst the Health Care Workers or workers who work at Nursing Homes or contacts of cases of of this disease but most importantly this should not be done with the purpose of giving people a passport but on the other hand with the purpose of trying to understand whos more likely to be protected and whos not going to be protected. When youve got a lot of Research Still to be in to be able to answer this question ok and let me ask you about something thats related to this because if the presence of antibodies does not necessarily imply immunity as the World Health Organization is saying then what does this mean for some of the ongoing trials right now that are using the plasma from recovered kovar the 1000 patients which contains these antibodies to then treat people that have the virus that are infected with the virus yes there are several studies trying to do that but remember these are studies so it doesnt mean when you do a study it doesnt mean that a primary you know that its going to work so thats another means of demonstrating where theyre actually having antibodies does offer protection so these ongoing studies are very important because they were also shed light on this question how optimistic are you about a vaccine i am quite optimistic i think because i think we have been able to develop vaccines too similar to viruses of this nature respiratory viruses of this nature before and also im optimistic because of the there are a pity of innovations and. The large numbers of candidate vaccines there are in development and actually some of these can be vaccines are actually in trials in studies already hopefully well be able to get data soon to at least over say whether some of these vaccines are see if to be able to move them into larger studies that will tell us whether they work or not. How long will that process take though because i suppose that is what people want to know well when are we going to have a vaccine that we can actually use. Under the most after 6 scenarios probably a year at least if not a year and a half until we have in our hands a vaccine that we can widely use. For the population at large. And you were mentioning a moment ago doing antibodies and specific Health Care Workers i wonder if they can elaborate on that point in particular and what do you mean when you say that and why do you seem to suggest that Antibody Tests could work on specific populations or specific groups of people. I think when i was saying is that these are the populations in which we can conduct studies to show whether having antibodies can protect you from getting the virus so for example some of the studies could be done in Health Care Workers by looking evaluating whether they have antibodies or not and then observing them over time and see if theyre protected or not based on whether they have antibodies or not so what you want to do is do the studies and then be able to answer the question of whether having antibodies is protective or rights of other very interesting thank you very much for your time and for speaking to us from new york thank you thank you well in china the authorities havent reported any new doubts from the coronavirus for the 10th straight day virus is believed to have originated in the chinese city of who had been late last year comes to singapore confirmed 618 militant factions making it the country with the highest number of cases in Asia Sarah Clarke reports. More than 3 months after the corona Virus Outbreak the city at the original epi santa is standing down some of its medical teams Chinas National Health Commission says all critically ill patients and will have recovered but the last group dispatched from hospital on saturday. The number of patients in severe in Critical Condition and we had city finally became 0 which marks a decisive victory in the battle against the virus means that the covert 1003 mint in china has reached International Advanced levels. The government is now focusing its efforts on a rise in imported cases in the Northern Province of helen jiang which borders russia china has recorded more than 83000 cases of the virus but a study published in the journal lancet says the numbers could be 4 times higher if they are just presenting with cold symptoms at a time of winter in china then they simply would have got infected so i had the cold maybe being diagnosed with having a cold or pneumonia like symptoms and then gotten better 85 percent of cases singapore now has the highest corona virus infection right in asia its reported another spike in its daily cases the majority of new infections a Migrant Workers living in crowded dormitories medical teams have been deployed to step up testing and Health Checks and the government has extended the nationwide lockdown until june but a singapore totnes its quarantine measures vietnam is starting to lift its restrictions the streets in hanoi are still empty but some shops are reopening for business but the Health Authority there reporting no new cases this week. Are you observe that the governments decision instructions are very well thought out and logical and in recent days the outbreak has been pushed back i feel grateful for being a few citizen its a downward trend being shifted in south korea which suffered the 1st major outbreak outside. Its government has outlined a 2 year Recovery Plan after reporting the lowest number of cases since the peak in february but the south Korean Health minister has warned citizens to accept the reality that life wont return to normal for some time yet sara clock out 0. Britain has become the 5th country to report more than 28000. 00 deaths in the coronavirus an increase of more than 800. 00 in the past day and belgium the european nation with the highest rate of faith per capita says it will start easing restrictions and more. Vir ill bring. The you are the better towel long live the 25th of april long live freedom the words of a former resistance fighter juries world war 2 something juvenility stuck at home in the italian capital rome. The nation wide looked means on the 75th anniversary of liberation and the end of fascism the hanging fly eggs from their windows up and down the country instead of holding parades and the 196 year old former parties than he thought was a leading forces thats heartening to me yeah. Right now depend more important an antifascist demonstrations between must also keep them alive especially at this time because the dismemberment we might destroy everything of the italian Democratic State in the name up and demick that is very dangerous and very uncertain. Its that uncertainty thats behind belgiums approach as it plans to gradually lift restrictions despite having the highest coronavirus death rate capital in europe from the 4th of may when the 1st shops reopened everyone aged 12 or over will have to wear a mask on public transport the governments promising to help it will have them over their lives not to trash it federal government and a different entities are implementing a common strategy to guarantee that every citizen will be see for free at least one protective mask covering both the mouth and the nose bars and restaurants across belgium will start reopening in june but the government says it will bring back restrictions if the medical situation worsens its not an easy question can release. Everything from their heart dont think so because i think we we will have a huge problem on the intensive care. He gets or almost 4. In britain where the number of people recorded as dying in the hospital from cop it 19 has gone past 20000 people are being urged to be patient and stick to the stay home guidelines the 5 tests we have laid out must be met before we can easies life saving restrictions we must be sure that we can to continue to protect the n. H. S. That there is a sustained and consistent fall in the daily rates of death that the data shows the rate of infection decreases that the operational challenges on met and of course there is no risk of a 2nd peak of infections. The one in the french capital where restrictions are even tougher this neighborhood cinema is projecting films onto its walls for anyone living near enough a simple way of bringing people together until theyre allowed to socialize once again the dean barber aljazeera sir lanka has reimpose the nationwide lockdown until monday after the countrys largest staley increase in the cases of the coronavirus 66 new cases have been confirmed over the past 2 days bringing the total number of infections to 440. 00 the majority of cases were recorded among navy sailors who were searching for those evading quarantine the month long lockdown was partially lifted on monday during daytime hours and more than 2 thirds of the country 7 people have been killed by the disease when our friends has more from the capital colombo she says more than 35000 people have been arrested for violating the measures. Checkpoints like this door to the country all over the 25. 00 districts this one the special task force of the police the sum of 55000. 00 Police Personnel that the Police Spokesman tells us are on the roads policing this complete lockdown over the weekend now the government had hoped a centrally to start easing curfew indeed in most of the districts on monday things have eased from 5 oclock in the morning to lakes 8 oclock at night however with a huge spike in the numbers seen yesterday theyve had to clamp down once again not just in those districts but also here in the capital colombo and full of the hiders districts now these are the scenes this generally very busy street in newgate go to columbus suburb teeming with people on a saturday afternoon but as you can see the only vehicles that are being stopped and searched are essential services they cause invariably lots of food deliveries Health Service workers and people like that who are the only ones who are allowed on the streets the essential services but everyone everyone else has been urged to stay put in fact 35000 more than 35000 people arrested for violating curfew more than 1000 acres being confiscated by the Law Enforcement authorities indias easing restrictions for its 1300000000 people in lockdown shops selling nonessential goods can now open but only at 50 percent capacity areas considered infection hotspots of those Larger Stores and malls will stay shut however 1st holes are reported nearly 25000. 00 cases on 780. 00 deaths was a peron is a new delhi she says there are some kravitz to that using the 1st rituals. In areas that are considered known hotspots we are seeing shops reopening and people heading out this comes off to the Home Ministry released a statement very late on friday night to come if something goes of a surprise saying that all shops which arent in morals marketplaces are allowed to open but with social conditions like everyone has to wear face masks and gloves and still observe social distancing the gloves aspects aspect as you they also said that all shops and markets in rural areas are allowed to open nearly 70 percent of indians actually live in rural areas weve had a clarification from the Health Ministry said that now baba shops and salons allow it to open because they dont sell ice they Sell Services so not only essential items are being allowed to be sold but not known essential services were not seeing any easing of restrictions in places like delhi most of delhi is considered is filled rather with hotspots and were actually seeing more restrictions and other places like the Southern State of tamil nadu for instance indias most populous state of health and predation has extended the bad on public gatherings until the end of june so the situation really depends on where you are in the country but certainly shops being allowed to open is a huge relief to the millions of indians again in no one hotspot zones who owned small standalone shops. Muslims in pakistan have observed the 1st day of ramadan with Prime Minister imran khan heating calls from clerics to keep mosques open despite the coronavirus pandemic some clerics said urged worshippers to fill out mosques saying their faith will protect them from the disease but the government has urged religious leaders to adhere its a social distancing rules. You know but. You took the boat down a little shops are closed theres Nothing Available in the market for breaking the i visited to get something but all shops are closed and i could not find anything in the market doctors and nurses in the pakistani city of lahore have embarked on a Hunger Strike in protest against the lack of personal protective equipment they have been complaining about the issue for weeks the Young Doctors Association says more than 150 medical staff have tested positive for the virus nationwide more than 50 doctors were arrested earlier this month during protests in the city of quetta w