Amid rising numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday that the solution to beating the pandemic lies in having clean hands, more than hopes for a speedy vaccine.

That’s not so easy in countries with poor access to clean water, as WHO’s Dr. Margaret Harris tells UN News’s Daniel Johnson, before providing an update on the human drug and crucial vaccine trials, now under way.

For those listeners worried about a beloved family animal, Dr. Harris also addresses concerns about human to pet transmission of the new coronavirus.