World Health Organization (WHO)Verified account

"It is an honour to partner with the @AspenSecurity Forum for our regular press conference. I want to extend my sincerest thanks to Aspen and @NBCNews for inviting @DrMikeRyan , Dr. @mvankerkhove and I to speak with you today"-@DrTedros

"The events of the last seven months are a tragic reminder of the insecurity & instability that disease can cause. The #COVID19 pandemic has changed our world. It has stress tested our political, economic, cultural & social infrastructure. And found us wanting"-@DrTedros

"It [#COVID19] has pushed the limits of health systems both weak and strong, leaving no country untouched. It has humbled all of us"-@DrTedros

"The world spends billions every year preparing for potential terrorist attacks but we've learned lessons the hard way that unless we invest in pandemic preparedness and the climate crisis, we leave ourselves open to enormous harm"-@DrTedros

"Since WHO was created over seven decades ago, we have worked to galvanise collective international public health action to build a healthier and safer future for humanity"-@DrTedros #HealthForAll

"From ending #smallpox, to bringing polio to the brink of eradication; from rolling out treatment for HIV, TB and malaria to millions of people across the world, to responding to hundreds of emergencies"-@DrTedros #HealthForAll

"Building up all health systems and ensuring #HealthForAll is our best shot at delivering on the goal of global health security"-@DrTedros

"Fifteen years ago, the global community came together and adopted the International Health Regulations (2005). Its implementation by 196 state parties was a major step in the coordination of international action to enhance global health security"-@DrTedros

"Following WHO being notified of an atypical strain of pneumonia circulating in Wuhan Province, #China; the IHR was triggered and the world was subsequently informed of the outbreak in early January"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"The genome was mapped within the first week of January. In the second week of January, it was publicly shared and WHO published how to build a PCR test for #COVID19 from our partner lab in Germany"-@DrTedros

"In the third week, WHO identified & began contracting for validated production of quality PCR tests. And by the first week of Feb, WHO began shipping tests to over 150 labs around the world, which enabled the world to track & trace #COVID19 around the world quickly"-@DrTedros

"And it was under IHR that WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January – WHO’s highest health security alert under international law. At that time, there were fewer than 100 #COVID19 cases and no deaths outside of #China"-@DrTedros

"Today, more than 18.5 million cases of #COVID19 have been reported to WHO and 700,000 lives have been lost"-@DrTedroshttps://twitter.com/WHO/status/1291387594329161731?s=20 …

"No country has been spared. Low, middle and high-income countries have all been hit hard. The Americas remain the current epicentre of the virus and have been particularly hit hard. Just three countries have reported over half of all #COVID19 cases"-@DrTedros

"No single country can fight #COVID19 alone. Its existence anywhere puts lives and livelihoods at risk everywhere. It’s never too late to turn outbreaks around and many countries have done just that"-@DrTedros

"Our best way forward is to stick with science, solutions and solidarity and together we can overcome the #COVID19 pandemic"-@DrTedroshttps://twitter.com/WHO/status/1291388052863098882?s=20 …

"#COVID19 has also exposed how misinformation poses one of the greatest security threats of our time. Misinformation can spread faster than the virus itself. Since the beginning of this pandemic, WHO has been working to address misinformation"-@DrTedros

"We’ve worked with all major tech companies to counter myths and rumour with reliable, evidence-based advice. Last month, WHO brought experts together from across the world to hold the first conference on how best to tackle the #COVID19 infodemic"-@DrTedros

"Through our daily situation reports and regular media engagements WHO offices have kept the world informed. Myself, @mvankerkhove and @DrMikeRyan have ourselves done more than 90 press briefings"-@DrTedros

"We have on a weekly basis, briefed our Member States to present the latest scientific knowledge, answer their questions, and to share and learn from their experiences with #COVID19"-@DrTedros

"WHO will continue to support everyone, everywhere and work with leaders, communities and individuals to foster global solidarity, suppress the virus and save lives and livelihoods"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"Even as we fight the #COVID19 pandemic, we just ended the second largest and probably the most difficult #Ebola outbreak in history in the #DRC"-@DrTedros

"We are applied lessons from previous #Ebola outbreaks and innovations developed and researched ethically in conflict situations to bring the deadly disease under control"-@DrTedroshttps://twitter.com/WHO/status/1291388812522860549?s=20 …

"And just this week our team in #Lebanon is responding to the large explosion that has killed more than 130 people & injured at least 5,000"-@DrTedroshttps://twitter.com/WHOEMRO/status/1291099916308230144?s=20 …

"Whether it’s #COVID19, disease outbreaks or responding to humanitarian and natural disasters, all are intrinsically linked to global health security"-@DrTedros

"While health has often been viewed as a cost, the first coronavirus pandemic in history has shown how critical health investment is to national security. And universal health coverage is essential to our collective global health security"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #HealthForAll

"Building back stronger health systems will require political will, resources and technical expertise in high- and low-income countries alike"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #HealthForAll

"That is why WHO’s highest priority is to support all countries to strengthen their health systems so that everyone, everywhere can access quality health services when they need them"-@DrTedros #HealthForAll

"#COVID19 has already taken away so much. We must seize this moment to come together in national unity and global solidarity to control COVID-19, address antimicrobial resistance and the climate crisis"-@DrTedros

"For all our differences, we are one human race sharing the same planet and our security is interdependent - no country will be safe, until we’re all safe. I urge leaders to choose the path of cooperation and act now to end the #COVID19 pandemic!"-@DrTedros