The Biden administration is reversing a decision made by President Donald Trump’s administration to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO).
During a virtual WHO Executive Board Meeting on Thursday around 4 a.m. EST, Fauci said, “I join my fellow representatives in thanking the World Health Organization for its role in leading the global public health response to this pandemic.”
He added, “I am honored to announce that the United States will remain a member of the World Health Organization. Yesterday, President Biden signed letters retracting the previous Administration’s announcement to withdraw from the organization, and those letters have been transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and to you Dr. Tedros, my dear friend.”
Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser. He was a member of the White House coronavirus task force under Trump’s administration.
At #EB148, Dr Anthony Fauci thanked @WHO's role in leading the global public health response to the #COVID19 pandemic.
— Sari Setiogi Griberg (@setiogi) January 21, 2021
(incl. "… conducting regular streamed press briefings that authoritatively track global development."❤️) https://t.co/yU5qIc5Ufn pic.twitter.com/EkjzVJnj1A
On his first day in office, #JoeBiden walked back on #Trump’s plan to withdraw the #US ?? from the @WHO.
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he was “honoured” by the announcement ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/EWGMuPrpNG
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) January 21, 2021
Fauci continued:
“In addition to retracting the notification of withdrawal and retaining membership in the WHO, the United States will cease the drawdown of U.S. staff seconded to the WHO and will resume regular engagement of U.S. government personnel with the WHO both directly and through our WHO Collaborating Centers.
The United States also intends to fulfill its financial obligations to the organization. The United States sees technical collaboration at all levels as a fundamental part of our relationship with WHO, one that we value deeply and will look to strengthen going forward.”
“This is a good day for WHO and a good day for global health,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a response. “The role of the United States, its role, global role is very, very crucial.”
"This is a good day for @WHO and a good day for global health."
— Sari Setiogi Griberg (@setiogi) January 21, 2021
–@DrTedros in welcoming Dr Anthony Fauci's statement at #EB148 that the U.S. will remain a member of WHO. https://t.co/yU5qIc5Ufn pic.twitter.com/O0BKe80zSu
Fauci also appeared on “Good Morning America” Thursday where he declared, “When you’re dealing with a global pandemic, you have to have an international connectivity.” He called it “refreshing” for the U.S. to rejoin the WHO.
Watch his interview below:
Dr. Anthony Fauci says it is “refreshing” for the U.S. to renew its support for the World Health Organization and that the Trump administration’s decision to leave was “disconcerting to everybody.” https://t.co/tKqKabdGAe pic.twitter.com/YGf5ZhI1ME
— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 21, 2021
Biden’s White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki shared on “Morning Joe” that Fauci will be in the briefing room on Thursday as the new administration seeks to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
There are more than 406,000 deaths due to COVID-19 reported in the U.S. There has been an average of 194,754 new cases per day reported over the past week, which is a 16% decrease from the two weeks prior, according to The New York Times.
More than 35 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed, while over 16.5 million doses have been administered, as of Jan. 20, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. has a population of roughly 330 million.