WHO Briefing down and dirty non-transcript
Tedros: virus is not influenza, fever and dry cough, not sniffles are main symptoms. Doesn’t appear to be widespread community transmission: 0.14% out of over 320K tested in Guangdong were positive.
review of numbers, 7 countries reporting for the first time, Brazil, Georgia, N. Macedonia, Pakistan, Greece, Norway, Romania - advice is to move swiftly to contain. some countries free for 2 weeks now have reported cases (Sweden, finland) more new cases outside of China than inside,
main focus - are you ready? do you have this, that and the other in place? Virus does not respect borders, races or ethnicities or level of development. But we’re not defenseless. Isolate, trace, care, hospital and community transmission. Aggressive containment and prepare for multiple scenarios. Online courses in multiple languages by WHO. Take action now to save lives now.
then into question session
Olympics - working with Japan re: risk assessment - no decision at this time - trying to preserve - applies to all mass gatherings, work, sports, business, religious
south America tropical conditions what does that mean for the virus with Brazil local health system already in trouble? risk management fluff answer - can’t make assumptions on spread of virus depending on environment
factors to explain Iran? only see severe end of the spectrum. more fluff. Iran may have more cases in milder range
US - community spread - go back to what Tedros said - US well traced, no evidence of community spread or clusters
vaccine question from Guana - WHO concerned re: Africa - invest as much as possible to get ready, want African countries to respond in a coordinated fashion = training 80K want to train more and provide PPE supplies. Africa used to epidemics.
have diagnostics changed? lack of access to testing including the US? we evolve case definitions - new guidance on diagnostic criteria will be issued today, Best way is still to test
What does it mean that more cases outside china being a decisive point? good for China, increase elsewhere bad news. Go from individual, to clusters, to community, to widespread based on how we handle it and that’s why it’s decisive. Do everything to contain, window of opportunity.
what does the test cost and what about shortage of masks? is it overly simple to say treat it as flu? test different prices per mfg, $5ea for WHO test. N95 masks needed for medical people -tap national strategic stockpiles in larger countries to supply smaller countries. Yes, give same advice as flu for handwashing, social distancing, taking care of self.
should wear masks? earloops - wear if you are sick don’t wear if you aren’t. WHO online videos show how to wear mask. If shortage of masks should go to medical and then to people taking care of others at home. Other countries masks are a cultural norm so have to be careful telling ppl not to wear a mask
asymptomatic people? not the driving force or major factor behind this epidemic - most cases are from symptomatic individuals
shortages of conventional drugs? issues on supply chains, but many are “switching back on again” and seeing pressure ease
full transcript will be published by WHO tomorrow
So he is relying on Chicom numbers to say community transmission rate low. Commies and Marxist are just plain mass murdering killers. Never ever let them into positions of power.
0.14% out of over 320K tested in Guangdong were positive.
THANK YOU, so much, for that WHO presser recap.
So....virus is not influenza....
doesn’t appear to be widespread community transmission.
~~~~
Agree and disagree...with WHO