Mistakes made by China and WHO
The Institut Montaigne has published a report titled “Fighting the coronavirus pandemic: China’s influence at the World Health Organization,” by François Godement. Below is an excerpt from a Twitter thread by economist Trinh Nguyen summarizing the report:
WHO did not have on the ground info until February 12 but until then, DID NOT question, then and now, China’s official assertions, such as no human-to-human transmission on January 14.
WHO recognized human-to-human transmission on January 24, delaying declaration of an emergency. WHO’s failure to recognize proven human-to-human contamination until January 23 …DESPITE strong and persistent indications to the contrary, and alerts by Taiwanese officials directly conveyed to the WHO.
WHO’s refus[ed] to declare a pandemic until March 11, when the virus reached 114 countries and 118,000 cases. As WHO guidelines are, for better or for worse, followed by countries and even by private actors who can base — and later justify — their actions from these guidelines.
