Statement – COVID-19: taking stock and moving forward together

 Nov 1, 2020

The Statement released by the WHO Regional Director for Europe at an emergency meeting of ministers of health from the WHO European Region on COVID-19 projections for the winter season outlined four main points.  They are as follows: 

First, there are several lessons we have learned. 

We can take action that makes a difference and saves lives while maintaining livelihoods. Modelling by IHME suggests that the systematic and generalized wearing of masks (at a rate of 95% from now) may save up to 266 000 lives by 1 February across our 53 Member States in the Region.

The data also suggest that encouraging people to work from home where possible, restricting large gatherings and proportionately shutting down places where people gather can go a long way to preserve lives and livelihoods.

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Second, we cannot underestimate the impact that COVID-19 fatigue is having on the well-being of our communities and the effectiveness of our ongoing responses. 

We need to engage citizens to help us create solutions. It’s important that we communicate to manage expectations in the coming season with empathy. Any actions that we take need to be viewed in terms of their effectiveness in slowing down transmission, but also in terms of their negative impacts. Effective communication using credible data projections and solutions based on science can help us to engage individuals, families and communities to support our efforts to control the pandemic as we head into a difficult winter.

Third, regarding our health workforce and system.

While in March the critical limiting factors were intensive care units, ventilators and personal protective equipment, today the single issue of greatest concern is the health workforce. Our health workforce is exhausted, people are burning out.

See full statement on WHO link below: https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre/sections/statements/2020/statement-covid-19-taking-stock-and-moving-forward-together?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+who%2Feuro%2Frss%2Fen+%28WHO%2FEurope+%7C+News+feed%29