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The Emergency Committee on COVID-19 met on 29 October to review the situation and progress made on the temporary recommendations. \u00a0They advised that the pandemic still constituted a public health emergency of international concern, and urged a focus on response efforts based on lessons learned and strong science.<\/p>\n
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WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accepted the advice of the committee, stating that \u201cWHO will continue to work in partnership across the world to drive science, solutions and solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The committee expressed appreciation for WHO\u2019s leadership and activities throughout the global response, including its critical role in developing evidence-based guidance, providing countries with technical assistance and critical supplies and equipment, communicating clear information and addressing misinformation, and convening the Solidarity Trials and the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.<\/p>\n
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The committee provided concrete and targeted advice for WHO and countries to focus on in the coming months. It emphasized the importance of evidence-informed, risk-based and coherent measures in relation to international traffic, surveillance and contract tracing efforts, maintaining essential health services including mental health services, and preparing plans for future COVID-19 vaccines. The committee urged countries to avoid politicization of the pandemic response, seen as a major detriment to global efforts. Read the full statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n As the committee convened for the fifth time, global reported cases had reached 44 million, with over 1.1 million people having lost their lives to COVID-19.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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