“What we want to try to avoid – and sometimes it’s unavoidable and we accept that – but what we want to try and avoid is these massive lockdowns that are so punishing to communities, to society and to everything else.”

DR Mike Ryan, The World Health Organisation’s top emergencies expert speaking at a briefing in Geneva, Switzerland on Friday evening.

Um.

Anyone?

WHO says wants to avoid ‘punishing’ coronavirus lockdowns (Reuters)

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Meanwhile…

Oh.

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55 thoughts on “WHO-Turn”

    1. SOQ

      WHO have done a 180 turn on lockdowns now- partly I expect because the international legal drums are warming up.

          3. sidhe

            you flatter me

            better than a sad little conspiracy theorist without the imagination or intelligence for an original thought like yourself, pat

          4. Pat Mustard

            And yet you sit on my coat tails..

            Its warms me to know that I reside completely rent free in your warped little mind..

            muwahwahahwahha

          5. Cian

            What does “lockdown” mean? Was being asked to “work form home if you can” a lockdown?

            Is our current level 3 a lockdown?
            Is level 1?
            Is level 5?

            Is it lockdown if it is a recommendation rather than law?

          8. SOQ

            @ Cian

            Well that really is up to WHO to define what they mean by lockdown as opposed to restrictions but I expect it means a hard lockdown where everything bar essentials are closed.

            Which is what NPHET was pushing for but the rug has now been pulled from under their feet.

          9. GiggidyGoo

            It’s the usual distract, divert from Cian. You say one thing, and he adds in an extra word/phrase to try divert.

            To be expected

        2. Micko

          Pretty sure they supported lockdowns Cian, along with lots of other strategies to prevent the spread.

          Like:

          Physical Distancing
          An effective Track & Trace system
          Efficent testing methods with quick turnarounds
          Increasing ICU capacity
          Not panicking the general public
          Protecting Nursing homes
          Staying physically active
          Protecting mental health
          Eatting a healthy diet
          Quitting smoking
          Wearing of masks (at a much later stage of course – getting people back shopping is very important)

          How many of these did we do / promote in Ireland? Sweet FA

  2. GiggidyGoo

    ‘We need to work hard, really really hard, to fund ….” the companies searching for a vaccine.

    Here’s an eye-opening piece of information Mike – these companies have plenty of dosh themselves to fund it. Once there’s a vaccine found, they will reap the rewards. They don’t need funding from anyone, as they have it themselves.

    The ‘hail fellow, well met’ look is kinda cheap too and doesn’t inspire. Buy a tie.

  3. Kim The Cardassian

    I didn’t hear the NT piece. If WHO are calling for governments to avoid lockdowns why are WHO calling the Irish government’s strategy to avoid a lockdown risky?

    Although a horse by any other name is still a horse, for many, we are in a lockdown of sorts once we hit level 3.

    1. Micko

      Absolutly, anything Level 3 or above is lockdown.

      Once pubs, restaurants, cinemas, museums etc are closed down – we’re in Lockdown

      Any other name is just spin.

  4. Eoin

    So the WHO were happy to push lockdown experiments back in April and now they are admitting that was the wrong approach and are doing a 180. They’ve also admitted that the measures they promoted are going to cause a lot more death and misery and poverty etc. Hmmm. Remember everyone badmouthing Trump for cancelling their funding way back? Are there going to be consequences for the WHOs massive screw up? I assume our government has now decided the WHO does not know what they are doing as we are going ahead with their our lockdown program regardless? So confusing. Wish we had some decent journos or TDs to ask some questions.

    1. baz

      not a fan of them in general especially their cosy CCP relationship but I will credit the WHO for not doubling down

  5. Bs

    Broadsheet going all GO’D again over something the majority of normal intelligent people see as reasonable.

    I wonder will the uturn be a quiet as with aul Gemma in a few months

    2. Brother Barnabas

      did BS ever explicitly endorse GO’D? hosted a few interviews with her for sure but am sure it would have done the same for peter casey or MDH or gavin duffy or sean gallagher etc

      and, if it did endorse her (maybe it did, maybe I’m wrong) has it pulled a u-turn? or just stopped hosting interviews ?

      1. Bodger

        Never endorsed her but supported her being allowed to stand and let the electorate decide. Her platform then was solely rooting out corruption in politics, the guards and media. We gave her a platform because no one else would and we felt sorry for her at that time.

        1. Brother Barnabas

          apologies, bodger. I didnt mean to imply that BS had endorsed GO’D – or anyone else for that matter – as that’s not how I ever understood it. what I meant was that BS provided a platform, but, I suspect, it would have done the same for any other candidate who was willing to answer real questions rather than just promote himself/herself. I’m guessing peter casey etc would have been welcome on

  6. Nigel

    This… doesn’t seem like all that much of a gotcha. Not wanting to go into lockdowns but possibly having to go into them if infection rates keep rising is entirely consistent.

    1. Formerly known as @ireland.com

      100% correct, Nigel. However, the virus-deniers want to pretent they have a victory. The WHO’s statement has been twisted into somthing it is not.

  8. BS

    Full scale lockdowns are damaging to economy, society, mental and physical health of people and should be avoided where possible. Ways to avoid a full lockdown;

    Take personal responsibility for your actions and limit the potential spread of the virus by;

    Not congregating in groups
    Wearing a mask
    Not having house parties
    Not going to gaa matches and sitting on top of eachother
    Not going to the pub

    If you can’t do these simple things then yes, there will be lockdowns, and that won’t be the fault of the government, or the who, or George sorros or whoever else you think is in charge of this pandemic spreading.

    1. Commenter #1

      I’m more inclined to put the blame on decades of health service mismanagement and a failure to capitalise on the time bought by the initial lockdown.

      1. Nigel

        The degree to which the global capitalist economy is effectively subsidised by social programs and health care is only slightly less staggering than capitalism’s utter determination to undermine them because they’re more interested in looting the system than sustaining it. Running the health care system down so it can be sold off piecemeal is more important than keeping it running in a way that could get us through a crisis like this without destroying the economy! Cannibalism.

      2. BS

        Well of course if the country didn’t have a third world health system it would be able to cope better.

        Doesn’t mean people don’t have individual responsibilities to ensure that society as a whole is protected by doing small things to stop a virus spreading.

        1. Commenter #1

          People by and large are meeting those individual responsibilities, though. The real problem is the failure of government.

    2. Micko

      @BS

      About 90%+ of people are doing those things you mentioned.

      And if they’re not, 81% believe they are. (from an RTE Poll 2 weeks ago) 81%!

      Everyone thinks they are operating correctly and that the virus is spread by someone else.

      Some other dirty person who isn’t following the rules.

      In reality, we can’t do anything to stop it – short of avoiding life altogether. The cases the weekend show that.

      We’re getting to the stage where government need to be seriously examining other options, and while the public are
      not calling each other names and blaming each other.

      Coz this ain’t working.

      1. Junkface

        It probably only takes 10 to 20% of the population not being careful to give us the resurgence of the virus cases that we currently have.

        The strong facts are that outdoors and clean air blowing around us reduces the risk of transmission by 80% or something. Lets recreate that as best as possible indoors. Invest in clean air filters, extractor fans, more ventilation. Its not that hard to figure out, its just an investment. If the Gov’t or health experts ran some tests here on typical restaurant spaces, typical pubs, hair salons etc, we could create a reliable framework. Its cheaper to invest in this now, than going out of business. That’s a no-brainer

        1. Micko

          @Junkface

          The resurgence that we’re seeing all over Europe, regardless of the restrictions imposed or not as the case may be.

          Just like when the virus disapated in mid April – coincidently nearly the same as all over Europe. Even though countries brought in lockdown measures at different times?

          It’s going through it’s natural cycle.

          I do agree that it’d be great if the government had investments for restaurants, pubs, salons etc, but we were also hoping that they might invest in ICU beds to protect us all – look how that went.

          The deadliest virus we’ve ever faced and we can’t get a few hundred extra ICU beds? But they can give themselves pay rises?

        2. The rock

          Another thing is my health is in the hands of some idiot that parties decides to not wear a face mask take reckless risks then infects another that infects me

          That’s what we are dealing with

          1. Micko

            @The Rock

            Do you wash your hands before you put on the Facemask?
            Do you inspect your facemask for damage?
            Do you change your facemask everytime you use it?
            Do you ever touch your mask?
            Do you only hold it by the earstraps?
            Do you place your mask in a plastic bag after use?
            Do you wash your facemask every single day?
            Do you clean your hands BEFORE you remove your mask?
            Do you clean your hands AFTER you remove your mask?

            Because if you don’t, you’re not following the WHO’s guidelines and YOU’RE taking “reckless risks.”

            But I’m sure you do all this – the question is, how long can you do it for?

            https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/clothing-masks-infographic–web—part-1.png?sfvrsn=679fb6f1_26

        2. The rock

          Maybe just let everything do what they want and when they get sick and they will they are removed and put in some sort of camp

          Then all these gobpoopoos will be happy that they can live their lives how the want just up to when they are carted off to fight their sickness amongst their peers

          1. Daisy Chainsaw

            While I agree with you suggestion, the problem is the innocent people they’ll infect and kill because they won’t even do the simplest of things to protect others.

        3. The rock

          Micko I wear disposable masks and each day I go through 5 masks
          I carry sanitiser and each time I enter a place I sanitise every time I touch a door surface etc I sanitise
          Though I do not behave like a doctor in the film contagion and sleep wearing a hamza suit I know maybe I do 10 things a day putting my life at risk
          But I do not do 20 things to put my life at risk

          Let’s face it we will most probably all get it but each day you do the most you can to protect others and protect yourself

          One thing that annoys me though is VAT on PPE including the massive industry that has sprung up around covid 19 and the tax rolling in for guess who

  9. The rock

    Well those not following the rules have made the authorities have no other option but close down the economy and millions will be on the dole

      1. ian-oh

        So what rules should we be following?

        Social Media?

        The Koch brothers (well, brother) ?

        The Great Barrier Declaration?

        Answers on a re-used disposable mask please.

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