World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus yesterday said that starting trials of vaccines against the Novel Corona virus a mere two months after its genetic sequence had been shared internationally is an incredible achievement.

Mr Ghebreyesus inaugurated a WHO-led global research initiative, dubbed the Solidarity Trial, to compare the vaccines under development to one another and figure out which treatment is the most effective in tackling the rampant Corona virus. Two months is indeed unexpectedly soon, given that last month WHO officials warned that the first trials of COVID-19 vaccines should be expected no sooner than in 3-4 months and a public roll-out no sooner than in 12-18 months.

More than two lakh cases have been reported globally, as of Wednesday, with over 8,000 fatalities, which is nearly double than two weeks ago.