Thread by @kakape

#COVID19 press briefing at @WHO starts with Tedros noting more than 210,000 #cases have now been reported to WHO, more than 9000 deaths. "Every day #covid19 seems to reach a new and tragic milestone."

@WHO .@DrTedros notes that Wuhan reported no new cases for the first time since outbreak started. "Wuhan provides hope for the rest of the world, that even the most severe situation can be turned around."

@WHO @DrTedros "Of course, we must exercise caution, the situation can reverse”, @DrTedros says on Wuhan. "But the experience of cities and countries that have pushed back this coronavirus give hope and courage to the rest of the world"

@WHO @DrTedros Warns younger people that they are not spared: "Data from many countries clearly show that people under 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalization.” Addresses young people directly: #Covid19 "could put you in hospital for weeks, or even kill you."

@WHO @DrTedros Adds: “Even if you don’t get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.” (very clear messaging that will be amplified by media around the world no doubt)

@WHO @DrTedros Mentions again fear of what #covid19 could do to countries with weak health systems: "That concern has now become very real and urgent”, he says. Adds that “there could be significant sickness and loss of life.”

@WHO @DrTedros Says collapse of market for PPE and difficulty ion ensuring health care workers can protect themselves is “are of key concern”. "We have now identified some producers in #China who have agreed to supply WHO.” finalising arrangements to provide supplies to the most in need.

@WHO @DrTedros Says WHO is also working hard to increase global supply of diagnostic tests. WHO needs tests it buys to be independently evaluated. Says WHO has worked with "Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics to contract additional labs to evaluate new diagnostics."

@WHO @DrTedros .@drtedros also gives advice on how to stay healthy at home (and says more will come):
- eat healthy
- limit alcohol and avoid sugary drinks
- don’t smoke
- do 30 minutes of exercise (an hour for children)

@WHO @DrTedros If allowed go outside to walk or run, says @DrTedros. "If you can’t leave the house, find an exercise video online, dance to music, do some yoga, or walk up and down the stairs."

@WHO @DrTedros In response to question from Chinese journalist, @DrMikeRyan says there is “a message of hope from China” given no new local cases. Other countries are mixing and matching approach China used to find their own recipe against #covid19.

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan Question from Brazilian journalist: How important is physical distancing?
@DrMikeRyan says there is a “toolkit of measures”. #PhysicalDistancing
slows down spreading of virus, he says. But: "They don't fundamentally deal with the problem of disease transmission.”

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan Same message again and again and again and again from @WHO! #Physicaldistancing can buy you time, but you need to go after the virus: test people, find patients, trace contacts, isolate, quarantine. “Go after the virus!"

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan Q from India: Has India lost critical time by not scaling up the tests? @mvankerkhove says
"we recommend that all suspect cases be tested and we recommend that all contacts that have symptoms be tested. We need to know where the virus is so we can stop onward transmission"

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q: What is shortfall in PPE?
Difficult to make an estimate for the whole world, says @DrMikeRyan. Partly because hard to know what will be needed and government stocks unknown. Also becoming harder to move anything around with so many planes and ships stopped.

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove "The greatest tragedy for me amongst all these tragedies is the prospect of losing part of our health workforce”, says @drmikeryan. Praises their role in #covid19 response and says we need to ensure "that our bravest get the best possible protection!” (I couldn’t agree more!)

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Appeal from @mvankerkhove: "We plead with you: if you do not need to wear a mask at home, don’t wear a mask! Don't hoard these masks.” If caring for a sick person with #covid19 at home, wear a mask, if not make sure masks are reserved for frontline workers!

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove What we believe is driving infection for the overwhelming majority of people is a symptomatic patient who either coughs or sneezes close by or contaminates a surface close by, says @DrMikeRyan.

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove .@DrMikeRyan says health systems are collapsing under strain from #covid19. “This is not just a little bit worse than what we are used to. This is not normal!"

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q: How far away is a vaccine? @mvankerkhove says WHO is working to accelerate development. At least 20 vaccines in development for #covid19, she says.

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove "Many people are asking: why do we have to test the vaccines?”, says @DrMikeRyan. “Only one thing more dangerous than a bad virus and that is a bad vaccine”, he says. Points out you have to be careful when developing sth that will be injected into most of the world’s population.

@WHO @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove There is a lot of work to do to ensure that #covid19 vaccine is safe, can be produced at scale, will be distributed in fair and equitable way and will be accepted as well, says @DrMikeRyan.