Answer:
114 April 2020
COVID-19 STRATEGY UPDATE
Overcoming COVID‑19
It has now been more than 100 days since WHO was
notified of the first cases of what we now call COVID ‑19,
and much has changed since we launched the first Strategic
Preparedness and Response Plan two months ago.
As of 13 April, more than 1.7 million people have been infected, and almost
85 000 people have lost their lives. WHO grieves with all families who have lost
a loved one, and salutes health workers all over the world who have put themselves
in harm’s way every day to save lives.
The global spread of the virus has overwhelmed health systems, and caused
widespread social and economic disruption.
By putting societies and economies on hold, we have curtailed the ability of the
virus to spread through our communities. These defensive measures have helped
to limit some of the short-term impacts of the virus, and bought us time to translate
what we have learned about the virus into solutions so that we can get back
to a more normal way of living: a new normal.
We have learned so much about this virus, and we’re still learning. This strategy
update is based on the evidence the world has accumulated in the past three
months about how COVID-19 spreads, the severity of disease it causes, how
to treat it, and how to stop it.
One of the main things we’ve learned is that the faster all cases are found, tested
and isolated, the harder we make it for this virus to spread. This principle will save
lives and mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic.
This document guides the public health response to COVID-19 at national
and subnational levels, including practical guidance for strategic action, tailored
to the local context.
This pandemic is much more than a health crisis. It requires a whole-of-government
and whole-of-society response. The resolve and sacrifice of frontline health
workers must be matched by every individual and every political leader to put
in place the measures to end the pandemic.
We’re all in this together, and we will only succeed together. There is no time
to waste. WHO’s singular focus is on working to serve all people to save lives
and stop the pandemic.
