113	Trump W.H.O.
E.Mail link above	What did he say and when. What actions did he take and not take.

From this article.

The World Health Organization warned the US and other countries about the risk of human-to-human transmission of Covid-19 as early as 10 January, and urged precautions even though initial Chinese studies at that point had found no clear evidence of that route of infection.

Technical guidance notes seen by the Guardian and briefings by top WHO officials warned of potential human-to-human transmission and made clear that there was a threat of catching the disease through water droplets and contaminated surfaces, based on the experience of earlier coronavirus outbreaks, such as Sars and Mers.

In recent days, Donald Trump has attempted to blame the WHO for the pandemic, pointing to a tweet from the group on 14 January saying there was (1) no human-to-human transmission. THAT IS INCORRECT!

“In many ways, they were wrong (1). They also minimised the threat very strongly(2),” the US president said, before threatening to cut funding to the organisation.(2) IS ALSO INCORRECT!

The January 14 WHO tweet reported (1) “preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission”. But in the same week top WHO officials were briefing health leaders around the world to keep looking out for signs of such transmission, and to (2) take precautions as if it was already happening.

The WHO declared a “public health emergency of international concern” on 30 January, a day before Trump banned non-American residents who had been to China from entering the US. Nearly a month after the WHO declaration, Trump tweeted: “The coronavirus is very much under control in the USA”, adding that the WHO had “been working hard and very smart”.

Trump has pointed out that US funding of the WHO was more than 10 times China’s contribution, citing figures of $450m (£360m) and $42m, a reference to annual combined assessed contributions (membership fees) and donations. However, the US is currently about $200m in arrears in its assessed contributions, and donations are tied to specific projects.

Since the WHO launched a coronavirus emergency appeal, China has donated just over $20m, about the same as the UK, and the US has given less than $15m. Japan has donated $47.5m, Kuwait $40m and the European commission $33m.

See here.

An investigation in the Washington Post last week discovered a warning from US officials at the beginning of January relating to the threat of coronavirus. On 3 January Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), spoke with his Chinese counterpart, George Gao, and was alerted to the newly emerging disease, becoming concerned enough for the CDC to establish an incident management structure for the new coronavirus on 7 January and activating its emergency response structure two weeks later, on 21 January. Despite that move by the CDC, a day later Trump was insisting the situation was under control. “It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”

This Page created April 11th. 2020 Most recent edit April 11th