The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning against a false sense of security and pretending the coronavirus pandemic is already over.
The agency held a virtual briefing on Monday to discuss the ongoing spread of the coronavirus outbreak. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of countries focusing on data and statistics to determine whether or not they should reopen.
He made it clear that countries with high infection rates and confirmed cases should refrain from opening.
“The more control countries have over the virus, the more they can open up. Opening up without having control is a recipe for disaster,” he said during the briefing.
According to Tedros, it is imperative that no country “just pretend the pandemic is over.”
He also said, “No country can just pretend the pandemic is over.”
See the full briefing below:
Tedros also noted that countries focused on reopening should place the same level of emphasis on “suppressing transmission” of the coronavirus. He acknowledged how difficult such a feat is but also made it clear that it can be done.
“If countries are serious about opening up, they must be serious about suppressing transmission and saving lives,” he said. “This may seem like an impossible balance, but it’s not. It can be done and it has been done.”
WHO’s latest virtual briefing follows multiple discussions about the virus, clinical trials underway, and mitigation efforts encouraged to reduce the spread of the virus.
Although the United States has seen a notable decline in the daily number of reported coronavirus cases, the country still has not flattened the curve.
In fact, many health experts have echoed sentiments similar to Dr. Tedros as they have also warned against loosening mitigation measures.
“We’ve all got COVID-19 fatigue. Children are starting back in school, sports are on TV again, and we’ve been on this decline for several weeks,” said Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida. “There is a strong desire to get back to our ‘normal lives,’ to exhale, and give our mental health a bit of a boost. But history has been telling already.”
As of Tuesday morning, there are more than 6.2 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States as the death toll is over 187,000.
