I have been investigating the coronavirus pandemic from the onset of the information shared by China with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on December 31, 2019.
On January 14, 2020, the WHO on its social media handle on Twitter posted a China report it claimed, as is, which read, “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China.”
On January 14th, interestingly in a press conference, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove of WHO, stated, “There has been “limited” human-to-human transmission of a new coronavirus that has struck in China, mainly small clusters in families, but there is potential for wider spread.”
On January 20th, a high-level expert team of China’s National Health Commission Monday confirmed people-to-people transmission of a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
On January 22, 2020 and January 23, 2020 the WHO formed International Health Regulations Emergency Committee were divided on terming the coronavirus in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
On January 28, 2020 Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO meets with President of China Xi Jinping
On January 30, 2020 IHR Emergency Committee arrive at a consensus and Dr Tedros declares the novel coronavirus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Dr Tedros further asserted that the vast majority of cases outside China have a travel history to Wuhan, or contact with someone with a travel history to Wuhan.
He further added, “We would have seen many more cases outside China by now-and probably deaths – if it were not the government’s (referring to China) efforts and the progress they have made to protect their own people and the people of the world.”
On March 11, 2020 Dr Tedros categorised the novel coronavirus as a ‘Pandemic’
He stated: “There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives. Thousands more are fighting for their lives in hospitals.In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher.
WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.”
Between the declaration by WHO of Public Health Emergency of International concern and WHO categorising the novel coronavirus as a ‘Pandemic’ is six weeks.
In these six weeks, people from Wuhan and other parts of China were travelling globally. WHO in fact opposed the travel restriction to and from by some countries.
Dr Tedros said, “It (China) has already done incredible things to limit the transmission of the virus to other countries. And where respect is due, then you don’t punish. Meaning if anyone is thinking about taking measures, it’s going to be wrong. And WHO doesn’t recommend, and actually opposes, any restrictions for travel and trade or other measures against China.”
Post March 11, 2020 declaration that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been categorised as pandemic, most countries across the world started to initiate partial or full lockdown.
Countries did not initiate any lockdown measures post the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
On March 11, 2020, Dr Tedros stated, “We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus.And we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action.We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.”
Post declaration of the Pandemic on March 11, 2020, 95 countries over the next two-weeks initiated partial or full-lockdown.
Let me share some of the top countries and when the initiated as partial or full-lockdown:
US on March 19th, Italy on March 10th, Russia on March 30th, United Kingdom on March 23rd, Spain on March 14th, France on March 16th, Germany on March 20th, India on March 25th and Australia on March 23rd.
Lockdown Dates FinalOn May 16, 2020 we have 4.6 million people infected across 215 countries around the world and we have lost 309,770 people to COVID-19.
Who will answer for this six weeks that led to spread of the coronavirus pandemic:
- Will it be Dr Tedros and the World Health Organisation?
- Will it be the 194 states that formed IHR 2005 in which there is no alert-level response on a ‘pandemic’ as claimed to GoaChronicle by WHO?
- Will it be individual countries that did not take the Public Health Emergency of International concern seriously and waited for the wake-up call of a ‘Pandemic’?
The world seeks answers. The world wants to know the truth. Dr Tedros will you tell the world the truth.
i would like Mr. Tedros to list a few of what he says are incredible things done by China to restrict the pandemic.
Yes Dr Tedros or W.h.o. must answer.