Thread by @WHO

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros. pscp.tv/w/cXhFnjI2MTAy…

"As of tomorrow, it will be three months since I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the outbreak of novel #coronavirus"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1222968733829865477?s=20

"Today I’d like to take a few moments to look back at the period preceding that announcement, to be clear about what WHO knew, and what we did"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 31st of December [2019], WHO’s Epidemic Intelligence System picked up a report about a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, 🇨🇳"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"The following day, New Year’s Day, WHO asked #China for more information under the International Health Regulations, and activated our Incident Management Support Team, to coordinate the response across headquarters, and our regional and country offices"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 2nd of January, WHO informed the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network – or GOARN – which includes more than 260 institutions in more than 70 countries"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Yesterday was GOARN’s 20th birthday, and I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you and congratulations to every single GOARN member for their commitment to responding to the #COVID19 pandemic and many other emergencies"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1255208095430696960?s=20

"On the 3rd of January, #China provided information to WHO through a face-to-face meeting in Beijing, and through WHO’s Event Information System established under the International Health Regulations"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 4th of January, WHO reported the cluster of cases on Twitter. At that stage, no deaths were reported"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1213523866703814656?s=20

"Jan 5, WHO shared detailed technical info thru its Event Info System. This incl. advice to all Member States & IHR contact points to take precautions to reduce risk of acute respiratory infections – providing guidance on the basis that there could be H2H transmission"-@DrTedros

"On the same day, WHO also issued its first public Disease Outbreak News, publishing technical information for the scientific and public health communities, as well as the world’s media"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1213795226072109058?s=20

"10th & 11th of Jan, WHO published a comprehensive package of guidance on how to detect, test for and manage cases & protect #healthworkers from potential human-to-human transmission, based on our previous experience with coronaviruses"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1215916433827356672?s=20

"We also published a readiness checklist to help countries assess their capacities & gaps for detection & response.

Because Wuhan, 🇨🇳 is a major domestic & intl. transport hub, WHO advised that the risk of cases being reported from outside Wuhan was increased"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 11th of January, #China shared the genetic sequence of the virus for countries to use in developing testing kits.

On the same day, China reported the first death from the new #coronavirus"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1216108498188230657?s=20

"On the 13th of January, the first case was reported outside #China, in #Thailand.
That day, working with partners, WHO published the first instructions for how to make PCR-based diagnostic test kits, enabling the world to find cases"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217151178884222976?s=20

"14 Jan, WHO tweeted reports from 🇨🇳 that preliminary investigations by 🇨🇳 authorities had found no clear evidence that H2H transmission was occurring. This is in line with our practice of reporting to the 🌍 info that countries report to us"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152?s=20

"Earlier the same day, WHO held a press briefing at which we said that, based on our past experience with coronaviruses, human-to-human transmission was likely"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/UNGeneva/status/1217146107957932032?s=20

"On the 20th and 21st of January, WHO staff visited Wuhan, 🇨🇳, and on the 22nd, reported that the evidence suggested human-to-human transmission was occurring"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 22nd and 23rd of January, I convened the Emergency Committee, consisting of 15 independent experts from around the world. At the time, 581 cases had been reported, and only 10 cases outside #China"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1248352917968629760?s=20

"The Emergency Committee was divided in its opinion & did not advise that I declare a public health emergency of international concern.
The Committee asked to be reconvened in 10 days or less to allow time for more information to be collected & considered"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"On the 27th of January, I traveled to Beijing with WHO’s chief of emergencies @DrMikeRyan other senior WHO staff, and met with 🇨🇳 President Xi Jinping and other leaders to learn more about the response and offer WHO’s assistance"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1222199153473806341?s=20

"We discussed the seriousness of the situation and agreed that an intl. team of scientists should travel to #China to look into the outbreak and the response, incl. experts from 🇨🇳, 🇩🇪, 🇯🇵, 🇰🇷, 🇳🇬, 🇷🇺, 🇸🇬 and 🇺🇸"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1222202603154608129?s=20

"On the 30th of Jan, I reconvened the Emergency Committee & after receiving their advice, declared a global public health emergency, WHO’s highest level of alarm.

At the time, there were less than 100 cases & no deaths outside #China"-@DrTedros #COVID19

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1222967082733559808?s=20

"From the beginning, WHO has acted quickly & decisively to respond & to warn the world.

We sounded the alarm early & we sounded it often.

We said repeatedly that the world had a window of opportunity to prepare & to prevent widespread community transmission"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We started our early press conference. People were saying the world will be tired of you if you’re making a press conference every day, but we didn’t mind. We wanted to make sure the world understands what WHO is saying"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"WHO is committed to transparency and accountability.

In accordance with the International Health Regulations, I will reconvene the Emergency Committee tomorrow"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"It’s almost 3 months since we declared the highest emergency and that’s what was suggested by the Emergency Committee – to evaluate the evolution of the pandemic, and to advise on updated recommendations"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"In the 3 months since the Emergency Committee last met, WHO has worked day in, day out to sound the 🚨, support countries & save lives.
We’ve worked with countries to help them prepare & respond.
We’ve brought countries together to share experiences & lessons learned"-@DrTedros

"We’ve brought together thousands of experts to analyze the evolving evidence & distil it into guidance.

We’ve convened researchers to identify priorities, from all over the 🌍"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We’ve launched a large intl trial to find answers fast about which drugs are the most effective.

We’ve brought together a consortium of countries & partners to accelerate the development & equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics & therapeutics"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We’ve shipped millions of test kits & tons of protective gear all around the 🌍, focusing on those countries who need our support most.

We’ve trained 2M+ #healthworkers – to be exact, 2.3M health workers around the 🌍. We don’t think that’s enough, we will train more"-@DrTedros

"We’ve worked with tech companies to fight the infodemic.

We’ve kept the world informed in multiple ways, including these regular press conferences, answering your questions"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We’ve brought together entertainers to provide music & laughter, even in these dark times, using this opportunity to thank @Hughcevans from @GlblCtzn & @ladygaga.
And we’ve watched with admiration as the world has come together in solidarity to fight this common enemy"-@DrTedros

"We share the grief and pain of so many people around the world, and we share the hope that we will overcome the #COVID19 pandemic together.

There’s one thing we haven’t done: we haven’t given up. And we will not give up"-@DrTedros

"Our commitment remains to serving all the people of the world with science, solidarity and solutions, but above all with humility and respect to all people and nations"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"WHO is now working to provide the critical strategies, solutions and supplies that countries will need in the coming weeks and months"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"One thing that we would ask is unity at the national level and solidarity at the global level. More than ever, the human race should stand together to defeat this virus"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"I have said it before: this virus can wreak havoc. It’s more than any terrorist attack. It can bring political, economic & social upheavals. But the choice is ours & the choice should be unity at the natl level. The choice should be glbl solidarity, standing in unity"-@DrTedros

The full briefing on #COVID19 by @DrTedros 👇 bit.ly/2KM5Qmm