The WHO media brief - 6/4
Link: Youtube
Message from General Director:
- Specialguest: Lady Gaga and Hugh Evans - founder and CEO of global citizen WH
- Announce a collaboration with Lady Gaga and global citizens about a virtual global special on Saturday 18th of April.
- Notice about the shortage of medical masks which should be prioritized for health workers. WHO is issuing guidance and criteria to support countries’ decisions about masks, especially where measures such as cleaning hands and physical distancing are harder because of lacking water.
- No black and white answer or silver bullet mask alone can stop pandemic. It should not be used as part of a comprehensive package. Should continue to test, isolate, treat for every case. Reminder of hygenity especially hands and faces.
- Update about research: 70 countries and Costa Rica’s effort in test medicine and vaccines for all countries.
- A call for open data science and collaboration for all countries.
- Update about Ebola outbreak: near the end of the situation.
- Acknowledge the contribution of health workers and notice a report about the state of the world’s nursing.
Questions:
India Today: There is a spike in cases caused by religious gatherings in india. And incidents of violence against health workers due to fear and misinformation. The questions about WHO’s message to religious and community leaders.
Associated Press: Dr. Anthony Faucci (the US) mentioned that 50% of transmission could be asymptomatic. The question is about facts which some countries say that this outbreak is 3x more infectious than influenza.
WHO is working with the States by looking through research and trying to understand when most transmission is happening, when any transmission is happening and what we know from reports, published literature about symptomatic and pre-symptomatic individuals.They mentioned a hypothesis is about modes of transmission with incubation days. Nevertheless, WHO does not believe that an asymptom is the main driver. About unrecognized transmission detected by models, it is caused by surveillance strategies. People have to wait until seeing results. A notice about severity and infection associated with a dose and exposure.
A question about a global push to try and find pre-exposure prophylaxis or post exposure prophylaxis, specifically the role of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine.
Update about 3-4 trials of prophylaxis with health workers to reduce risk of becoming infected. Try to bring together a larger set of collaborative studies. Mentioned about using plasma to recover to give an antibody boost.
BFM Radio Malaysia: A question about guidance for lockdown or some sort of restriction movements, e.g. how to look at data before lifting or relaxing measures.
Difficult for the government because lockdown is proven effectively, but causes a hardship for the economy, especially developing countries. Needs to break out which elements of lock down or shut down. Suppress method is active case finding, testing, isolating, tracking, quarantine and a strong community EDUCATION and PARTICIPATION and OWNERSHIP around formal physical distancing hygiene and giving communities the power to control infection by effectively managing their own capacity. Examples about Korea and New York. WHO will be issuing a guidance with parameters with a specific measurement to look at to chart the path
Nigeria: Question about vaccine development with regard to our general assessment unlocked R&D.
Africa is doing well in this response. A notice about high prioritized actions, especially towards the vulnerable. About vaccines, there is a number under development and tested through clinical trials with all ethnic considerations along with transparent communication based on robust scientific evidence. Mentioned about continental strategy for Africa about equipment. Mentioned about some scientist’s suggestion about where to test vaccines or therapeutic which should be the same equally. Raise a concern about racist and colonial mentality.
What is the message for a frontline health worker in China and around the world? >
Launch a report about nursing tomorrow. The world now sees how important and central a health worker is. Health first, before you aspire anything, e.g. fame, money, etc. So, dealing with other times, health professionals are important as a safe guidance. A message from WHO Managing Director to every health worker with the greatest respect and appreciation.
Tagged #summary.