Today marks the 2nd anniversary of Covid-19 being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), on 11 March 2020.
WHO reportedly expressed their frustration that few people sat up and took notice when the real alarm came six weeks prior to the declaration.
A public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) was declared by WHO on 30 January 2020 at the time, when there were lesser than 100 cases and zero deaths reported outside of China.
The world only took notice after WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the deteriorating situation as a pandemic on 11 March.
WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said that “the warning in January was way more important than the announcement in march”, adding that “do you want the warning to say you’ve just drowned, or would you like the warning to say the flood is coming?”
Ryan said that their PHEIC had fallen on deaf ears and that people were not listening or acting, and that he was stunned by the lack of response and urgency in relation to their highest level of alert in international law.
He added that countries had plenty of advance notice and well warned about the impending pandemic”.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus also spoke during a press conference that they declared Covid-19 as a PHEIC on 30 January, and that more than 6 million people have died since.
He added that despite the declining cases and deaths, and countries lifting their restrictions; the pandemic is far from over.