Thread by @mvankerkhove

A couple of misrepresentations in the @WSJ article that I’d like to address… short thread⬇️

https://twitter.com/wsj/status/1442120179471814657

The @WHO SAGO is NOT the next mission team to China. It is an advisory group set up to establish a framework to study the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of pandemic potential when they emerge.

For decades, we have seen the repeated threat of emergence of known & new threats: SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, avian flu, pandemic flu H1N1pdm09, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Nipah, Zika… SARS-CoV-2. #COVID19 was disease X and the next disease X is out there.

The SAGO will also rapidly review where we are with understanding the origins of #SARSCoV2 & advise on critical next steps. This is important because much has been published since the March 2021 Joint mission report and we need an update to date assessment to guide next steps.

The March 2021 report outlined dozens of studies in China that need to be conducted. These studies in China, in the region and elsewhere… are critical to further the scientific basis to evaluate how this pandemic began. Frankly, there is no time to waste.

But please let me be clear - @DrTedros @DrMikeRyan and I have said this repeatedly - Each & every mission @WHO organises is unique & has specific TORs. Each mission team is unique & does amazing work under very difficult conditions.

Any future mission to China-and I hope there are several - or to any member state - will have a unique mission team and will be organised by WHO & that member state using specific TORs. Not by SAGO & not in the media or on twitter.

We thank our scientific partners around the world, especially those who are part of @WHOGOARN @WHO collaborating centers and technical networks, academic & public health organisations, and more, for their continued support of @WHO & work around the world on high threat pathogens.

More info on SAGO here: who.int/groups/scienti…

And here is a video describing @WHO SAGO

https://twitter.com/mvankerkhove/status/1437134334889238533