Thread by @kakape

Daily @WHO presser on #covid19 starts with @drtedros praising “difficult but wise” decision by Japan and the IOC to postpone @Tokyo2020 Olympic Games. "The pandemic continues to take a massive toll not just on health but on so many parts of life. "

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 "Already we have lost more than 16,000 lives. We know we will lose more”, says @drtedros. “How many more will be determined by the decisions we make and the actions we take now."

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 And again: "Asking people to stay at home and shutting down population movement is buying time and reducing the pressure on health systems. But on their own, these measures will not extinguish epidemics.” They just buy a “second window of opportunity”: to attack #SARSCoV2.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 "We call on all countries who have introduced so-called “lockdown” measures to use this time to attack the coronavirus”, says @DrTedros.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 What does that mean? He mentions:
- training HCWs
- expanding testing
- increasing ability to trace contacts
- preparing facilities to isolate patients
- developing plan to quarantine contacts

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 These measures are needed so that #Covid19 does not resurge after lockdown ends, says @drtedros. "The last thing any country needs is to open schools and businesses, only to be forced to close them again because of a resurgence."

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 In other countries that still have few cases the same actions may still prevent transmission and avoid most severe social and economic consequences, says @drtedros.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 Ends with a plea to take care of vulnerable populations in every country during this #covid19 pandemic: “Older people carry the collective wisdom of our societies. They are valued and valuable members of our families and communities."

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 Q about Africa and what needs to be done there. @drtedros says:
“They should believe that this thing is in their hands. They can do something to stop it as early as possible.” But appeals to global solidarity too.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 Q from Brazil about Bolsonaro: Are his remarks putting the lives of Brazilians at risk? (@DrMikeRyan answered first, but my internet connection cut out. Will listen later.)
@drtedros goes back to the recommendations he made earlier on what should be done.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan "This pandemic cannot be arrested by the healthcare sector alone, we need all relevant sectors working together", says @drtedros. And communities need to be engaged. “This is everybody’s business."

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan "The time to act was actually a month or more than a month ago”, says @DrTedros "
I think we squandered the first window of opportunity.” Says there is now a second window of opportunity on #covid19 and it should not be squandered as well.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan Q about Italy. "You cannot look at a whole country as an entity. You need to break the problem down", says @drmikeryan. Intense transmission in some areas and not possible to do testing and contact tracing of everyone there. But other parts are less affected and they can.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan "Beyond Italy there are many countries that are looking at the transmission situation they are in and the situation seems completely overwhelming”, says @mvankerkhove. In that situation lockdown measures can buy time, but that time needs to be used, she says.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q about technological solutions for contact tracing etc: "This is probably the first pandemic of the 21st century in which the full power of information technology, social media, artificial intelligence is being applied to almost every aspect of this response”, says @drmikeryan.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove There is a lot of innovation and enthusiasm. But that needs to be turned into useful solutions at the frontline, says @drmikeryan. Mentions data protection, human rights concerns. “We are very cognisant of that.”

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q about lockdown in India: What is WHO’s advice to ensure there is not another lockdown, i.e. to avoid a second wave.
"Without implementing necessary measures it is going to be very difficult for countries to exit, and if they do, they may see a resurgence", says @DrMikeRyan

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove What he is saying, and WHO has said several times now is: Use the time to ramp up capacity to test, contact trace, isolate and quarantine, and then hopefully countries can jump on any new cases and extinguish any sparks that could lead to another fire.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove .@mvankerkhove adds that lockdowns are meant to be temporary measure to control #covid19 and a cycle of lockdown - lift -resurgence - lockdown - … needs to be avoided. “We need to break out of that cycle."

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q: specific supply chains that are under strain at the moment?
@DrMikeRyan: "I think you'd have to say that all elements of the supply chain for many many products are under strain at the moment.” rubber for rubber gloves produced in a small number of countries, for instance.

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove If there is any lesson to be learnt out of this pandemic, it is that we need stronger public health systems, says @DrMikeRyan

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove Q: How concerned are you about Trump’s decisions? Is he really doing a good job?
@DrTedros says one WHO recommendation is "all of government approach and head of state taking responsibility”. Says that's what Trump is doing. (Kind of ironic given Trump’s quote on not taking resp)

@WHO @DrTedros @Tokyo2020 @DrMikeRyan @mvankerkhove .@DrMikeRyan says he spoke with Fauci and Redfield today about #covid19 response. "We’re very impressed to see the work their institutions are doing."