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Statement on the tenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency … [need for on-going One Health approach…]

January 20, 2022

WHO | World Health Organization  19 January 2022  Statement

 SEE: https://www.who.int/news/item/19-01-2022-statement-on-the-tenth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-pandemic

“the need for an on-going integrated One Health approach to SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, research, and response efforts. “. 

The Committee discussed key issues including:

  • challenges and opportunities to harmonize national and global response efforts within the context of the synchronous outbreaks of Omicron VOC, including in relation to international travel;
  • drivers for emergence of new VOCs as well as differences in the characteristics of Delta and Omicron VOCs and their respective lineages;
  • the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 testing strategies as well as accessibility and affordability of medical countermeasures;
  • vaccination strategies and the use of heterologous vaccine combinations;
  • the challenges to maintain continued community buy-in for public health and social measures after two years of the pandemic and the risk of overly optimistic statements regarding the state of the pandemic;
  • the increasing levels of threat and concerns about personal safety faced by frontline responders, advisors and leaders of the pandemic response;
  • the focus of response efforts on a combination of suppression of transmission and mitigation of severe outcomes; and
  • the need for an on-going integrated One Health approach to SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, research, and response efforts. 

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