The World Health Organization has warned that wearing masks alone will not be enough to defeat the global Covid-19 pandemic, which has now left more than 70,000 people.
Speaking during a briefing this afternoon, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also warned that there is no "silver bullet" through which to beat the coronavirus. "Masks should only ever be used as part of a comprehensive package of interventions.
There is no black or white answer, and no silver bullet," he said. "Masks alone cannot stop the Covid-19 pandemic," he added.
The WHO said that calls for the public to wear masks in the fight against the virus can be justified when other measures like hand-washing and physical distancing are difficult.