Thread by @TomBollyky

Trump announces hold on WHO funding, blaming it for a “20-fold” increase in #COVID19 cases worldwide

@JeremyKonyndyk and I outlined earlier today in @washingtonpost the many reasons why this is wrong and a really dumb idea amid a pandemic @CFR_org 1/ washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/0…

On 1/23, @WHO held news conference, confirming a basic picture of #SARS2CoV that holds up reasonably well today:

- a novel coronavirus spreading person to person
- more transmissible than the seasonal flu and
- 40 times deadlier, with an estimated fatality rate of 4%

2/

Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan all looked at that same @WHO info and triggered immediate action while the United States did not

WHO is far from a perfect institution, but it is hardly responsible for the slow U.S. response to this crisis 3/

DG Tedros was warning in late February that this #COVID19 “absolutely” had pandemic potential

At that time, Trump was still saying that U.S. reported cases would soon go from 15 “down to close to zero” 4/ whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…

The WHO is also not to blame for the United States failing to impose a travel ban earlier 5/

https://twitter.com/TomBollyky/status/1250074899831537670?s=20

U.S. reliance on travel bans over domestic readiness suggests that the WHO had a point with its guidance against using travel restrictions 6/

https://twitter.com/TomBollyky/status/1247573251095760903?s=20

The problem is not that, as the president now says, the WHO “called it wrong.” Rather, the organization called it pretty well. He simply didn’t listen 7/

The deference that @WHO has shown in this pandemic is not unique to China, this virus or even current WHO leadership. The organization prizes solidarity in crises

It was also criticized for showing similar deference to DRC & Guinea in past two #Ebola outbreaks 8/

The deference WHO shows to member states flows from constraints that its member states, including the US, have chosen to impose upon it.

WHO depends on cooperation from governments to compensate for its limited resources and authority 9/

.@WHO plays an irreplaceable role in global outbreak response. In current #COVID19 crisis, it has largely served its purpose well.

US should seek to strengthen & enhance @WHO’s independence and effectiveness, not degrade it amid a crisis

Today's decision will cost lives 10/10