China’s prevention, control measures against coronavirus well acknowledged at WHO meeting
By Li Yongqun, Zhang Penghui, People’s Daily
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World
Health Organization (WHO), acknowledged the efforts of the Chinese government
and people in fighting the pneumonia epidemic while addressing the 146th
session of the WHO Executive Board that kicked off in Geneva, Switzerland on
February 3.
During the meeting, Tedros elaborated on the cooperation
between China and the WHO amid the coronavirus, called on all countries to
implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent, and said that the
vital importance for all countries is to invest in preparedness, not panic.
The WHO made recommendations that there is no reason for
measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade.
China has taken serious measures at the epicenter, at the
source, which not only protected the Chinese people, but also prevented the
spread of the virus to other countries, Tedros said, adding that it demonstrated
the responsibility, confidence and capabilities of the country.
Outside China, there are 146 confirmed cases in 23 countries,
“Instead of spending time on
fear and panic, we should say this is the time to prepare,” Tedros said.
“Because 146 cases, by any standard, is very low.”
“If it weren't for China's efforts, the number of cases
outside China would have been very much higher,” he said.
The world must support countries with weaker health systems,
as well as accelerate the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics,
Tedros pointed out.
The WHO said that the world should also combat the spread of
rumors and misinformation, review preparedness plans, identify gaps and
evaluate the resources needed to identify, isolate and care for cases, and
prevent transmission.
The organization called on all countries to share data,
sequences, knowledge and experience with the WHO and the world.
Tedros said the WHO stands ready to provide advice to any
country that is considering which measures to take, and called on all countries
to work together in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.
WHO’s spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic reiterated in an
interview with People’s Daily that the organization does not recommend any
measure that unnecessarily interferes with international travel and trade.
At the WHO executive board meeting, many countries spoke
highly of China's epidemic prevention work and its contribution to global
public health.
The Tanzanian delegate thanked the Chinese government for
taking strong measures to control the outbreak quickly, and emphasized that
thanks to China's great effort and sacrifice, Africa has so far no confirmed
cases.
He said that the next step for African countries is to
continue to strengthen prevention measures, hopefully with the support from the
WHO and China.
The German delegate appreciated China for having acted
quickly against the epidemic, being open and transparent, sharing information
in a timely manner and working closely with the WHO.
The delegate from Singapore praised the Chinese government for
sharing the information in a timely manner and unswervingly controlling the
spread of the epidemic, expressing their firm belief that China and the rest of
the world will surely overcome the epidemic through cooperation.
The Swiss delegate said that China's prevention, control and
treatment measures are exemplary, and that Switzerland is willing to work with
the Chinese people to win the fight against the outbreak.
Britain, Australia, Japan, Brazil, Singapore, Israel, Chile,
Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Spain, Myanmar, Egypt, Norway, Indonesia, Canada,
Denmark, Thailand, Sweden, Montenegro, and Bangladesh have all appreciated
highly the measures taken by the Chinese government, calling on the
international community to strengthen cooperation and work together to overcome
the disease.
The pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus is a common
challenge facing the entire world, said Li Song, Deputy Permanent
Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office
at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland.
Out of a strong sense of responsibility to protect the lives
and health of the people in China and other countries, the Chinese government
has adopted the most comprehensive and strict measures to prevent and control
the spread of the virus, Li added.
Under the leadership and command of the central government
of China, all provinces across the country have launched first-level emergency response
to the novel coronavirus. It is because of these effective measures that the
epidemic has been constrained within China, with the confirmed cases in other
countries accounting for less than one percent of the world’s total.
The Chinese government and people have the resolution,
confidence and capability to win the battle against the new coronavirus
outbreak, said Li.
When an epidemic appears, its severity and potential risks
are usually overestimated, which can easily trigger overreaction among people,
according to a recent article published in the Economist.
In fact, Scientists have started work on vaccines and on
options, and the epidemic is not as severe as some might think, said the
article.
China’s response to the epidemic deserves commendation,
according to the article. The Chinese scientists had a quick identification and
sequencing of the virus. They developed detection reagents for the virus and
shared them with the international community.
Thanks to their efforts, the international cooperation in
response to the epidemic has made great progress. In addition, China has taken
effective measures such as postponing schooling to control the spread of the
coronavirus, which is unimaginable in other parts of the world. No country has
acted so quickly in response to a new epidemic like China did, the article
said.
China’s prevention, control measures against coronavirus well acknowledged at WHO meeting
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