Tag Archives: WHO

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

This afternoon.

Via Reuters:

The World Health Organization is calling for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, its head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

The move was to enable that at least 10% of the population of every country was vaccinated, WHO Director-General Tedros said.

The call to stop COVID-19 vaccine boosters is the strongest yet from the UN agency as the gap between inoculation rates in wealthy and poor countries widens.

I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it,” Tedros added.

FIGHT!

WHO calls for moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses (Reuters)

Pic: Reuters

This afternoon.

Meanwhile…

Taoiseach Micheál Martin last week.

He’s so ‘ahead’.

Covis 19 Vaccine Advice (WHO)

Last week: In The Fall

 

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar

This afternoon.

The Tánaiste said the Government’s new mandatory requirement of a PCR test is being met with a very high degree of compliance and fines are being issued for those who breach the rules.

He said the three main reasons for opposing mandatory quarantine were that it is “disproportionate”, because positive Covid-19 cases within the State were not quarantined; the EU’s stringent rules on the freedom of movement; and the fact that Ireland cannot control its border, ie with Northern Ireland, in the same way that other island states can…

Meanwhile…

Fight!

Meanwhile…

Oh.

RollingNews

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China last January

This morning

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says he is “very disappointed” China blocked the entry of its investigators.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ team had been due to investigate the origins of Covid-19 in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Via Financial Times:

Beijing has barred the entry of a 10-member World Health Organization team investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic after their visas were not approved.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said on Tuesday that he was “very disappointed” after China blocked the arrival of the virologists.

“Two members [of the team] had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute,” Mr Tedros said.

Anyone?

China blocks WHO team sent to probe Covid’s origins (FT)

AFP

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Europeans to wear masks INDOORS during family gatherings at Christmas.

Via WHO:

“It may feel awkward to wear masks and practise physical distancing when around friends and family, but doing so contributes significantly to ensuring that everyone remains safe and healthy,”

“Vulnerable people and older friends or relatives may find it very difficult to ask loved ones to stay away physically, regardless of the anxieties or concerns they may have. Consider what others may be feeling and the difficult decisions they will be facing.”

Good times.

Covid-19: Europeans urged to wear masks for family Christmas (BBC)

Pic: AP

This afternoon.

In an update to its Covid-19 guidance on masks, The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended wearing face masks when indoors with other people ‘if the ventilation has been deemed inadequate’.

“WHO advises that the general public should wear a non-medical mask in indoor or outdoor settings where physical distancing of at least one metre cannot be maintained,” the new guidance says.

“If indoors, unless ventilation has been assessed to be adequate, WHO advises that the general public should wear a non-medical mask, regardless of whether physical distancing of at least one metre can be maintained.”

Meanwhile…

As for face shields, WHO said they “provide a level of eye protection only and should not be considered as an equivalent to masks” when it came to protection against respiratory droplets.

“If face shields are to be used, ensure proper design to cover the sides of the face and below the chin,” the guidance said.

WHO recommends masks indoors if ventilation poor (RTÉ)

RollingNews

“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.

Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organization’s Emergencies Programme

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Dr Ryan said that although younger people may suffer a less severe version of the disease, it is not guaranteed that this will be the case and that there is always the risk of passing it to older populations.

If the disease is passed onto older generations again, he said, the hospitals will refill and “this is not something we want to see”.

Dr Ryan said it is not known yet about what kind of protection people will have if they contract the disease.

Anyone?

Ongoing shift of virus to younger adults – WHO expert Ryan (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

Back in April.

Dr Ryan (@1.15) suggests entering homes and removing suspected Covid-19 patients.

Good times.

Meanwhile…

Oh.

This evening.

Members of the World Health Organisation, including executive director Michael Ryan (top), hold a press conference, in which Mr Ryan said that all countries now need to reassess their “strategies” toward the coronavirus.

It follows the WHO declaring the Covid-19 outbreak a pandemic.

Coronavirus: First death confirmed in Ireland as WHO declares a pandemic (Paul Cullen, The Irish Times)