Opening up without control of COVID-19 is recipe for disaster, says WHO

 

FILE PHOTO: Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo

 

GENEVA (Reuters) - Countries with significant active spread of coronavirus must prevent amplifying events, as opening up without the virus being under control would be a "recipe for disaster", the World Health Organization said on Monday.

 

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recognised that many people are getting tired of restrictions and want to return to normality eight months into the pandemic.

 

The WHO fully supported efforts to reopen economies and societies, he told a news conference, adding: "We want to see children returning to school and people returning to workplaces, but we want to see it done safely."

 

"No country can just pretend the pandemic is over," he said. "The reality is this virus spreads easily. Opening up without control is a recipe for disaster."

 

"Explosive outbreaks" have been linked to gatherings of people at stadiums, nightclubs, places of worship and other crowds, where the respiratory virus can spread easily among clusters of people, Tedros said.

 

"Decisions about how and when to allow gatherings of people must be taken with a risk-based approach, in the local context," he said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-01

 

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22 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

"No country can just pretend the pandemic is over," he said. "The reality is this virus spreads easily. Opening up without control is a recipe for disaster."

was he trying to send a message to TAT 555

Says the man who downplayed the virus and against stopping flights out of China at the beginning.  WHO is seen by many nations as part to blame for all of this global mess. The US has had the guts to say it as it is.  WHO fails the pub test.

WHO joins the ranks of NATO and FIFA  .....  nothing but losers   !!!    the sooner they're gone the better

 

they stay in expensive hotels and eat lobster at your expense.

51 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

opening up without the virus being under control would be a "recipe for disaster"

And keeping the economy running at half speed is a "recipe for success"? 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recognised that many people are getting tired of restrictions and want to return to normality eight months into the pandemic.

I know it's tough but please, folks, we must continue to be deathly fearful about this and heed Tedros' sage advice until we have forced vaccinations for all.

Troll post removed.  

 

How this guy even got a job is beyond belief. 

3 hours ago, aussienam said:

Says the man who downplayed the virus and against stopping flights out of China at the beginning.  WHO is seen by many nations as part to blame for all of this global mess. The US has had the guts to say it as it is.  WHO fails the pub test.

No one stopped flights out of china. Trump even said xi was great for being transparent, or did you forget that.

 

the US did nothing. Hows it going, all good?

The WHO lost all credibility when early on they said no travel restrictions were necessary.  This allowed China to spread their virus throughout the world.

7 hours ago, Sujo said:

No one stopped flights out of china. Trump even said xi was great for being transparent, or did you forget that.

 

the US did nothing. Hows it going, all good?

Trump literally restricted entry from China at the end of January, to loud disapproval and accusations of racism from the Democrats. Nancy Pelosi even invited everyone to join her at a large, non-socially distanced gathering in Chinatown, San Francisco, to protest his decision. Also, no one seems to mention that the violent protests that have wracked Democrat-run cities over the past three months probably aren't helping to contain the spread.

I am not political, but am increasingly alarmed at how far the truth is getting twisted these days. I understand that people are desperate to get Trump out but it does seem that the media narrative is more politically-driven than ever. There is no subtlety to it. I suspect it might end up backfiring in November.

17 minutes ago, Kelsall said:

The WHO lost all credibility when early on they said no travel restrictions were necessary.  This allowed China to spread their virus throughout the world.

 

4 minutes ago, Poet said:

Trump literally restricted entry from China at the end of January, to loud disapproval and accusations of racism from the Democrats. Nancy Pelosi even invited everyone to join her at a large, non-socially distanced gathering in Chinatown, San Francisco, to protest his decision. Also, no one seems to mention that the violent protests that have wracked Democrat-run cities over the past three months probably aren't helping to contain the spread.

I am not political, but am increasingly alarmed at how far the truth is getting twisted these days. I understand that people are desperate to get Trump out but it does seem that the media narrative is more politically-driven than ever. There is no subtlety to it. I suspect it might end up backfiring in November.

Nice try, but off-base and playing politics.   When the virus first emerged, the method of transmission was not known.  It seemed to be coming from a wet market.   Was it food borne?   Perhaps it was water borne?   Once those were eliminated, which was rather quickly, it was airborne, but again no idea how contagious it was.  Even less was known about the viral droplets, how far they traveled, how long they lived, etc.,   

So the WHO did not recommend travel restrictions and you guys complain, but then you complain about restrictions and lock downs.   Hmmm.  They acted based on the best available knowledge at the time.    

The travel restrictions on China were less-than-effective.   They targeted the country, not the virus.   The virus was also coming in unrestricted from Europe, primarily Italy.   I traveled through several Asian countries at the end of February and part of March.   My flight to the US was re-routed because planes coming from Asia could only land at certain airports, so they could screen people.   Well, there was no screening.  Nothing.  There wasn't even a medical desk.  There were numerous planes landing from Asia.   I later found out all those people returning from Italy and Europe landed in Atlanta without any medical screening.   

The US ended up with the huge number of cases and deaths from inept mismanagement from the White House.  We needed Presidential leadership and it never materialized.   

 

21 minutes ago, Credo said:

Nice try, but off-base and playing politics.

I am not political. My observation is that, if one side has a valid case against the other, they do not need to resort to outright lies. The comment I responded to contained an outright lie, here is a New Times report from that time:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/business/china-travel-coronavirus.html

Surely, as a leftist, it would make more sense to focus on the many valid criticisms of Trump, rather than a claim that can be so easily debunked?

 

21 minutes ago, Credo said:

The travel restrictions on China were less-than-effective. 

That is a problem of execution, not of the original decision.
 

 

21 minutes ago, Credo said:

I later found out all those people returning from Italy and Europe landed in Atlanta without any medical screening. 

There was no choice, at that time, but to allow US citizens and residents to return. You might not be aware, but certain US airports are equipped with heat-sensing security cameras. Atlanta is one of those airports. Heat checks are pretty much useless in the case of C-19 but they do count as a form of medical screening, the only form that was available at that time. You were screened. If you had been running a temperature you would have been pulled aside.

The airport situation would have been identical under any president. The only factor where a president could make any difference was in ordering restrictions on who could enter the country from China, and it appears that he made that particular decision at least two weeks earlier than the Democrats would have.

Again, with so many other juicy targets, why focus on that one?

 

10 minutes ago, Poet said:

I am not political. My observation is that, if one side has a valid case against the other, they do not need to resort to outright lies. The comment I responded to contained an outright lie, here is a New Times report from that time:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/31/business/china-travel-coronavirus.html

Surely, as a leftist, it would make more sense to focus on the many valid criticisms of Trump, rather than a claim that can be so easily debunked?

 

That is a problem of execution, not of the original decision.
 

 

There was no choice, at that time, but to allow US citizens and residents to return. You might not be aware, but certain US airports are equipped with heat-sensing security cameras. Atlanta is one of those airports. Heat checks are pretty much useless in the case of C-19 but they do count as a form of medical screening, the only form that was available at that time. You were screened. If you had been running a temperature you would have been pulled aside.

 

The reason I say it's political is because it targeted the country, not the virus.  There were 43,000 people allowed to enter the US from China.  Whether you are from the US or a permanent resident, health screenings needed to be done and everyone was told they were being done.   They weren't.   That's a really, really careless move.   Nothing.  No names taken, no addresses, there was zero ability to contact trace any cases arising from those travelers.  

Health screening is much more than a temperature check.   

Tedros back by the CCP and Gates Foundation is the recipe for disaster as we have all seen.  Nothing like having someone that isn't a medical doctor and has been mentioned as being a terrorist in Ethopia as running the WHO.  What could go wrong?

9 minutes ago, Credo said:

Health screening is much more than a temperature check.   

When you don't have swab tests, the temperature check is pretty much all you've got. The alternative, to block all US citizens from returning until swab tests were available, would have been unconstitutional.
 

 

9 minutes ago, Credo said:

No names taken, no addresses, there was zero ability to contact trace any cases arising from those travelers.

I believe that all those arriving into the US by air must present a passport or, at least, some form of emergency replacement document that clearly identifies them. Each plane also submits a full passenger manifest before arriving in US airspace. All passengers were US citizens or residents.

Just as with the heat screening, you not being aware of the information they are gathering does not mean it is not happening.


 

41 minutes ago, Poet said:

When you don't have swab tests, the temperature check is pretty much all you've got. The alternative, to block all US citizens from returning until swab tests were available, would have been unconstitutional.
 

 

I believe that all those arriving into the US by air must present a passport or, at least, some form of emergency replacement document that clearly identifies them. Each plane also submits a full passenger manifest before arriving in US airspace. All passengers were US citizens or residents.

Just as with the heat screening, you not being aware of the information they are gathering does not mean it is not happening.


 

No, the health screening is done with a series of questions, including where you have been, whether or not you have been in contact with anyone with Covid, etc., etc., 

Personal information is obtained to contract trace in the event of an exposure, such as on the airplane.   That means, the phone number, address etc.   None of that was done.  No questions were asked of anyone.    

The people were not all US. Citizens.   

 

There were no thermal scanners anywhere.   

 

A You Tube conspiracy video has been removed.  Social Media is generally not a credible source of information.  

anything that will be or will not be done is a recipe for disaster. 

 

sincerely yours

chicken little

 

24 minutes ago, Scott said:

Social Media is generally not a credible source of information.  

Much like most of the replies on this thread.

He is absolutely correct it’s been an unmitigated disaster here in the states over 185,000 dead millions unemployed 32%drop in GDP the whole country in chaos mostly because of poor(to put it nicely)leadership no planing and squandering the gains made by the shutdown a total fubar 

12 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

I know it's tough but please, folks, we must continue to be deathly fearful about this and heed Tedros' sage advice until we have forced vaccinations for all.

There will never be 'forced vaccination s'. As long as many folk who will.say go to hell

3 hours ago, Credo said:

 

Nice try, but off-base and playing politics.   When the virus first emerged, the method of transmission was not known.  It seemed to be coming from a wet market.   Was it food borne?   Perhaps it was water borne?   Once those were eliminated, which was rather quickly, it was airborne, but again no idea how contagious it was.  Even less was known about the viral droplets, how far they traveled, how long they lived, etc.,   

So the WHO did not recommend travel restrictions and you guys complain, but then you complain about restrictions and lock downs.   Hmmm.  They acted based on the best available knowledge at the time.    

The travel restrictions on China were less-than-effective.   They targeted the country, not the virus.   The virus was also coming in unrestricted from Europe, primarily Italy.   I traveled through several Asian countries at the end of February and part of March.   My flight to the US was re-routed because planes coming from Asia could only land at certain airports, so they could screen people.   Well, there was no screening.  Nothing.  There wasn't even a medical desk.  There were numerous planes landing from Asia.   I later found out all those people returning from Italy and Europe landed in Atlanta without any medical screening.   

The US ended up with the huge number of cases and deaths from inept mismanagement from the White House.  We needed Presidential leadership and it never materialized.   

 

The inept mismanagement from WHO is second to none. They are the ones responsible for advising everyone and they simply played the politics of their Chinese masters.

15 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

The inept mismanagement from WHO is second to none. They are the ones responsible for advising everyone and they simply played the politics of their Chinese masters.

Wrong.   The mismanagement of the pandemic by Trump definitely beats the WHO by a wide margin.  Heavens, even some the s***hole countries he talks about have done a better job than the US.

 

12 hours ago, Jack Hna said:

How this guy even got a job is beyond belief. 

 

PC correctness!!!

15 hours ago, Brunolem said:

And keeping the economy running at half speed is a "recipe for success"? 

Depends on how many people you are prepared to see die horribly. Human life or money?

I left Thailand in mid March to return to Canada. In Bangkok all airport staff were wearing masks, and a large majority of passengers as well.

  Stopped in Taipei, and all staff wore masks, and still most passengers did as well, however in Vancouver Canada, most of the airport staff wore masks or were behind plexi glass, but only some of the passengers wore masks.  I wondered

why such a different attitude still existed in Canada.  I seen many American travellers in Vancouver and as well no masks, I should have realized that the me me me, and my 

precious freedom attitude existed since then.  I agree that there is still a big risk to any country who tries to open without being cautious.  The USA is still toxic.

Geezer

 

It is all very well to blame the WHO, but we must remember that they were not really 'on the scene' in China, but depended on the information China made available. And China, being the type of country it is, suppresses information until it's release is sanctioned at the highest level. Lower levels hold back information for fear of being punished. So a few weeks were lost, very important weeks. By the end of January, it had already spread to half the world (although that was not realised at the time).

 

Recently (it was posted about a few days ago) it has been tentatively identified that the Russian flu was also a Coronavirus. That stated in Asiatic Russia in 1889, slowly spread until it reached the Russian railway network, then exploded - typically peaking 5 weeks after infections were first reported in a city (sounds familiar?). From St. Petersburg to other European capitals it was only a matter of a couple of weeks, spread by the railways. It took 3 more weeks to arrive in the USA (New York). It is believed that infection rates probably reached over 50%, and 3 waves swept around the world over a period of 4 years.

 

Symptoms - very like Covid-19. Officially only 13,000 died in the USA, but as 110,000 died in the UK, Almost certainly an under-estimate, like the one million world total - what actually killed you were the complications. In the first city ever infected, Bukhara, it was reported to have a fatality rate of 60% (not sure how  reliable that is), but by the time it reached Europe it was about 1%. And you could get re-infected.

 

It is still with us today - but is just another strain of the common cold. 

 

A good starting point is here - 

 

https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/before-the-coronavirus-there-was-russian-flu/

 

So we have been here before - the fear, the hysteria, ...... and the deaths. What is in store - another few years  of Covid-19, a probably only partially effective vaccine and with luck mutation will see it evolve into another relatively harmless virus. The pandemic is far from over, as cases are rapidly rising in some European countries again - mainly due to holidays. India, the Americas - still pretty much full throttle. Thailand cannot stay locked down for ever. All countries unfortunately need to decide what level of control to adopt - lockdowns are just too economically damaging, but no controls risks massive waves of disease. In practice you have to price the value of a life........

 

 

8 hours ago, Poet said:

Trump literally restricted entry from China at the end of January, to loud disapproval and accusations of racism from the Democrats. Nancy Pelosi even invited everyone to join her at a large, non-socially distanced gathering in Chinatown, San Francisco, to protest his decision. Also, no one seems to mention that the violent protests that have wracked Democrat-run cities over the past three months probably aren't helping to contain the spread.

I am not political, but am increasingly alarmed at how far the truth is getting twisted these days. I understand that people are desperate to get Trump out but it does seem that the media narrative is more politically-driven than ever. There is no subtlety to it. I suspect it might end up backfiring in November.

In a later post you stated i was lying. Please point out the lie. I said no one stopped flights from china. That is the truth, flights were still coming in. There were certain restrictions on flights but there were still flights.

 

so stop lying.

 

i also note trump thanked xi for being transparent. 

On 9/1/2020 at 6:37 PM, steven100 said:

WHO joins the ranks of NATO and FIFA  .....  nothing but losers   !!!    the sooner they're gone the better

 

they stay in expensive hotels and eat lobster at your expense.

WHO bunch of well payd burocrats always acting in delay . Even this statement shows that for what they earn they have to blow some air ????