Thread by @WHO

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros. pscp.tv/w/cWxlNDI2MTAy…

"Today is the first day our press conferences are being interpreted in all official @UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian & Spanish.

I’d like to welcome all journalists from around the 🌍, & I invite you to ask questions in any of the six UN languages"-@WHO #COVID19

"I’d like to start by thanking the many musicians, comedians and humanitarians who made Saturday’s “One World, #TogetherAtHome” concert an enormous success"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1251571221998653440?s=20

"WHO is proud to have co-organized this event with @GlblCtzn and @ladygaga, and I also want to thank my colleague @PaulGarwood who came up with the idea and has worked incredibly hard for several weeks to make it happen"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #TogetherAtHome

"The event raised more than USD 127M to support several organizations responding to #COVID19, including USD 55M for WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund.

The fund has now raised more than USD 194M from more than 270,000 individuals, corporations & foundations"-@DrTedros

"Yesterday I had the honour of addressing health ministers from the @g20org countries.

I appreciate the expressions of support from many countries for WHO’s coordinating role and our technical guidance"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1251925035624861697?s=20

"I also appreciate the statements of the G77 and the @NAM_ChairAZ expressing their strong support for WHO.

WHO’s commitment is to science, solutions and solidarity.

Our commitment is to supporting all countries to save lives"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1252229842096934914?s=20

"We’ve spoken previously about the factors countries must consider as they plan to start lifting so-called #COVID19 lockdown restrictions"-@DrTedros

"We want to re-emphasize that easing restrictions is not the end of the epidemic in any country. Ending the epidemic will require a sustained effort on the part of individuals, communities and governments to continue suppressing and controlling the virus"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"So-called lockdowns can help to take the heat out of a country’s epidemic, but they cannot end it alone.

Countries must now ensure they can detect, test, isolate and care for every case, and trace every contact"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We welcome the accelerated dev. & validation of tests to detect #COVID19 antibodies - helping us to understand the extent of infection in the population.
WHO is providing technical, scientific & 💲 support for the rollout of sero-epidemiologic surveys across the 🌍"-@DrTedros

"Early data from some of these studies suggest that a relatively small percentage of the population may have been infected, even in heavily affected areas"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"While antibody tests are important for knowing who has been infected, tests that find the virus are a core tool for active case finding, diagnosis, isolation and treatment"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"One of WHO’s priorities is to work with partners to increase the production and equitable distribution of diagnostics to the countries that need them most"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"To achieve that, WHO has worked with @FINDdx and the @ClintonHealth Access Initiative, to identify and validate five tests that have been validated and can be manufactured in large quantities"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Working together with the @GlobalFund, @UNICEF & @UNITAID, we have now placed orders for 30M tests over the next 4 months.
The first shipments of these tests will begin next week, through the @UN Supply Chain we have established with the @WFP & other partners"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Solidarity flights continue to ship lifesaving medical supplies across Africa to protect #healthworkers, who are on the frontlines in the effort to save lives and slow the pandemic"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"WHO has been working closely with the @WFP to deliver masks, goggles, test kits, face shields & other medical equipment to 40 countries.
This is part of the overarching drive to keep supply chains moving & ensure key supplies reach 120 priority countries"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Through April & May we intend to ship almost 180M surgical masks, 54M N95 masks & 3M+ protective goggles to countries that need them most.

I also want to highlight the @foundation_ma’s donation of 100M masks, 1M N95 masks & 1M test kits to WHO"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We are also continuing to lead R&D efforts.

So far, more than 100 countries have joined the Solidarity Trial to evaluate therapeutics for #COVID19, & 1200 patients have been randomized from the first 5 countries"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"This week, we expect that more than 600 hospitals countries will be ready to start enrolling patients.

The faster we recruit patients, the faster we will get results"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Yesterday marked one year since our colleague Dr Richard Mouzoko was killed while working on the #Ebola response in #DRC"-@DrTedros

"After 54 days without a case, there have now been six cases of #Ebola in #DRC in the past 10 days. We are continuing to work hard with our partners to support the government to ensure that this spark does not become a larger fire"-@DrTedros

"Unfortunately, Richard is one of many #healthworkers who have lost their lives in the line of duty globally in the past year"-@DrTedros #NotATarget

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1251910990901448704?s=20

"Some have died in attacks on health facilities, some have lost their lives to #COVID19.

I would like to once again pay tribute to every health worker.

We salute you. And we are committed to supporting you"-@DrTedros

The full briefing on #COVID19 by @DrTedros 👇
bit.ly/2XOjnBA