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European governments are “far behind” in the fight against the coronavirus and the continent is becoming an epicenter of the disease, a senior doctor from the World Health Organization warned.
Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO’s health emergencies program, said much more comprehensive measures will be needed if Europe is to overcome the virus.
At a press conference this afternoon, Dr. Ryan said: “There is no question that the European region is an epicenter of disease at the moment.
“At the moment we are far behind this virus in Europe, so getting ahead of it will require a significant acceleration in what we do and perhaps a much more comprehensive nature of the measures that will be necessary.”
He said that if European countries were imposing much tougher measures, it should be possible to stay ahead of transmission rates as long as comprehensive public health surveillance is in place.
Dr. Ryan urged governments not to “waste” the opportunity presented by more closures and to support their citizens to do the right thing.
He also warned that the free movement of people within the EU was going to present a major challenge as the rate of transmission accelerated and might have to be suspended in an attempt to control the virus.
Dr Ryan said: “Europe has spent 50 to 70 years trying to break down barriers and tear down walls; it is not easy to build a coherent response in so many countries with so many different approaches, with so many land borders.”
“There is a lot of freedom of movement, based on those principles, it may be necessary to close and restrict movement and have stay-at-home orders to alleviate this phase of the pandemic.”
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Dr Ryan said that the stricter measures being implemented in many European countries could have been avoided if everyone had done everything possible to protect themselves from the disease.
He expressed frustration with conspiracy theorists and anti-shutdown activists, but said not everyone had the knowledge to accept the scale of the problem.
“How can you convince someone to do something if they don’t really think there is a problem?” he said.
“Persuasion is a discussion, persuasion is a dialogue, persuasion involves the exchange of resources between people.
“Governments need to persuade people to do the right thing, but they need to support people to do it.”
Earlier, WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus criticized world leaders who have undermined scientists during the pandemic.
He said: “Where there has been political division at the national level, where there has been a blatant lack of respect for science and healthcare professionals, confusion has spread and Covid-19 cases and deaths have increased.
“A pandemic is not political football. Illusions or deliberate distraction will not impede broadcasts or save lives.
“What will save lives is science, solutions and solidarity.”
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