I mean if anyone says the US failed because of the World Health Organization, I’m with you totally. I don’t see anyone anywhere near that allegation on what we’re discussing.
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Replying to @zeynep @Ryan_Mac_Phd
Honestly, I’ve seen several who haven’t been working in public health say that bc the WHO won’t acknowledge certain things to the specifications they want, they’re not effective and are endangering people.
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Replying to @SaskiaPopescu @Ryan_Mac_Phd
I can’t talk about others but what I’m talking about the very specific things. Saying no need to wear masks indoors if separated by a mere meter, three feet—that got corrected about 10 days ago. People had been trying since last March/April to update that. Took this long.
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I’d just add that, regardless of WHO’s advice, around the world countries have enacted policies as they’ve seen fit regardless of their health care infrastructure or WHO membership. In the US, most people who don’t wear masks give zero thought to WHO recommendations.
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This is exactly what you’re missing. There are entire countries who will only do what the WHO recommends. If WHO recommendations didn’t matter, that would be a whole other tragedy but that’s kind of where we’re headed unless they’re fixed.
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Which countries are we talking about? Because I’m well aware of the WHO’s role in LMIC countries with regard to shaping policy and standing up public health responses. And few countries have fared as poorly as the US.
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Replying to @angie_rasmussen @zeynep and
If the measure of failure is “not wearing masks indoors” or “not emphasizing ventilation” then sure. But if the measure is per capita prevalence and COVID deaths, then one could make the argument that those LMICs have done considerably better than the US.
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I don’t think anybody’s disagreeing about US failure. Forget indoors, last spring people were facing huge hurdles trying to get masks to people in refugee camps because the World Health Organization was against them.
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That is a problem but it’s also not as simple as that. That also has to do with worldwide shortages of PPE and supply chain issues. Not saying WHO was right or they are above criticism but that can’t be laid exclusively at the feet of WHO.
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Replying to @angie_rasmussen @zeynep and
But refugee camps are also not entire LMICs, and I just don’t think the data supports the notion that WHO recommendations have had catastrophic consequences in terms of policy. The worst outcomes have been in countries that disregarded WHO. Like the US.
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If the recommendations matter anywhere they need to be fixed. If we’re saying countries that disregarded key ones have done better, that’s true and a tragedy. United States failed in a different way. United States failure does not mean the WHO doesn’t need fixing.
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I’m saying that countries that considered WHO recommendations have done better than those that have not. Of course WHO should change based on the global tragedy of this pandemic. But if “needs fixing” means making policy recommendations without supporting data, I don’t agree.
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Replying to @angie_rasmussen @zeynep and
WHO has a complex and challenging role in global health and it’s hard to balance emerging science with making policy guidance. Not saying they’ve been perfect but as others are fond of saying, perfect should not be the enemy of the good.
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End of conversation
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