Thread by @amymaxmen

Trump just announced he is suspending funding to @WHO while a review is conducted *THIS IS DESPICABLE* Let me lay out how WHO has responded to #COVID19 since Jan 5 & why not funding them now spells disaster to many low and middle-income countries. THREAD.

First, a timeline of their activities, backed up by their #coronavirus situation reports. Jan 5 on the outbreak in Wuhan, China: "The occurrence of 44 cases of pneumonia requiring hospitalization clustered in space and time should be handled prudently."

2nd week of Jan: First sequences of #coronavirus revealed from China w/guidance from WHO & a recommendation on how to diagnose the disease. Late Jan they recommend PCR-based test. Classify this as a risk for the world.

Jan 23: WHO reports that transmission is human-to-human, and says the risk to the world is high. Jan 30. WHO sounds its highest alarm, a PHEIC. It means governments around the world should follow recommendations from WHO & report deviations to the agency.

Early Feb: WHO distributes #COVID19 tests to countries that ask. Mid-Feb: WHO delegation across China informs the world about the details of this new virus & ways that China curbed it. They say household transmission is high & that contact-tracing & quarantine is key to success.

Feb 28. @DrTedros announces that the risk to the globe is "very high." Says test, trace contacts & quarantine to try and slow the spread of #COVID19. The US does not listen. March 11. He calls this a pandemic saying "“We are deeply concerned...by the alarming levels of inaction.”