Five years ago, on December 31, 2019, the WHO China country office retrieved from its website a media statement from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission regarding cases of “viral pneumonia” in Wuhan , in China. In the weeks, months and years that followed, COVID-19 shaped our lives and our world.
At WHO, we got to work immediately as the new year dawned. WHO employees activated emergency systems on January 1, 2020 and informed the world on January 4. From January 9-12, WHO released its first set of comprehensive guidelines for countries and on January 13, we brought together partners to release the plan for the first SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test.
Throughout, we brought together experts and health ministries from around the world, gathered and analyzed data, and shared what had been reported, what we had learned, and what it meant for people. Discover WHO’s actions in this area interactive timeline.
As we mark this milestone, let us take a moment to honor the lives changed and lost, recognize those suffering from COVID-19 and long COVID, express our gratitude to the health workers who have sacrificed so much to care for us, and engage -us to learn. of COVID-19 to build a healthier future.
We continue to call on China to share data and access so we can understand the origins of COVID-19. This is a moral and scientific imperative. Without transparency, sharing and cooperation between countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.
As we ask the question: “Is the world better prepared for the next pandemic than for COVID-19?” see WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ response at a recent press conference: https://who.canto.global/b/SHEJL