Thread by @WHO

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros pscp.tv/w/ctmrbTI2MTAy…

"Yesterday, the United States of America announced that it plans to retain its membership in WHO. I want to thank my brother Dr Tony Fauci once again for addressing the #EB148 so early in his morning"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1352207873540026368?s=20

"I was also honoured to speak with @VP Kamala Harris in the first hours of her first full work day. Thank you again, Madame Vice President"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1352313007624347649?s=20

"The 🇺🇸 has long played a vital role in global health. The 🇺🇸 was a founding member of WHO, and has been a leader in the fight against many diseases, from smallpox to polio, and malaria to HIV"-@DrTedros

"The 🇺🇸 contributes an enormous amount to global health, but it also benefits from WHO’s work on a range of diseases, both infectious & non-communicable"-@DrTedros

"American public health professionals who work at WHO and in other global health agencies gain valuable experience and lessons to use at home.

And a healthier, safer world is a healthier, safer America"-@DrTedros

"So we welcome @POTUS commitment not just to remaining part of the WHO family, but to working constructively with WHO, its Member States and the multilateral system to end the #COVID19 pandemic and address the many health challenges we face globally"-@DrTedros

"In that sense, we welcome the @POTUS administration’s commitment to protect women’s and girl’s sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights around the world"-@DrTedros

"It comes at a critical juncture - as the world prepares for the 25th anniversary of the landmark Beijing Declaration on women's rights – that helped shape gender equality and women’s movements globally"-@DrTedros

"We also welcome the United States’ commitment to rejoin the #ParisAgreement on #climatechange, which will have major benefits for the health of our planet, and for human health"-@DrTedros

"We look forward to working with the United States and all Member States as we prepare for a successful COP-26 climate conference later this year"-@DrTedros

"And we welcome the United States’ commitment to support the @ACTAccelerator, and to join COVAX"-@DrTedros #ACTogether

"Vaccines are giving us all hope of ending the pandemic & getting the 🌍 economy on the road to recovery. But we can only end the pandemic anywhere if we end it everywhere. And to do that, we need every Member State, every partner & every vaccine producer on board"-@DrTedros

"That’s why today I’m glad to announce that COVAX has signed an agreement with Pfizer/BioNTech for up to 40 million doses of its #COVID19 vaccine"-@DrTedros #ACTogether

"Additionally, pending WHO emergency use listing, we expect almost 150 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford #COVID19 vaccine to be available for distribution by COVAX in the first quarter of this year"-@DrTedros #ACTogether

"Together, these announcements mean COVAX could begin delivering doses in February, provided we can finalize a supply agreement for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and emergency use listing for the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #COVID19

"COVAX is on track to deliver 2 billion doses by the end of year. This agreement also opens the door for countries who are willing to share doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to donate them to COVAX and support rapid rollout"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #COVID19

"In my remarks to the #EB148 on Monday, I called on the international community to work together as one global family to ensure the vaccination of #healthworkers and older people is underway in all countries within the first 100 days of this year"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #COVID19

"The commitment of the 🇺🇸 to join COVAX, together with this new agreement with Pfizer/BioNTech, mean that we are closer to fulfilling the promise of COVAX. Today I’m pleased to be joined by Albert Bourla, the Chairman and CEO of Pfizer"-@DrTedros #ACTogether #COVID19

"It’s important we all remember that vaccines will complement but not replace the proven public health measures that have been shown to suppress transmission & save lives. We still have a lot of work to do, but the 💡 at the end of the tunnel continues to grow brighter"-@DrTedros

The full remarks by @DrTedros during the media briefing on #COVID19 - 22 January 2021 👇 bit.ly/364GXNW