Geneva – Keeping borders closed to stop the spread of COVID-19 is unsustainable, the World Health Organization said Monday, urging countries to adopt comprehensive strategies based on local knowledge of where the virus is spreading. Border closures and travel restrictions remain an important part of many countries’ strategy to combat the novel. coronavirus.
At the same time, the increase in cases in a number of countries in Europe and elsewhere that had loosened measures after appearing to be in control of their outbreaks has spurred discussions about possible new border closures.
But the UN health agency warned that such measures cannot be maintained indefinitely, and are also useful when combined with a wide range of other measures to detect and break transmission chains.
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“Continuing to keep international borders sealed is not necessarily a sustainable strategy for the world economy, for the world’s poor or for anyone else,” Michael Ryan, WHO director of emergencies, told reporters in a virtual conference.
“It is going to be almost impossible for individual countries to keep their borders closed for the foreseeable future,” he said, noting that “economies have to open, people have to work, trade must resume.”
He recognized that when it comes to COVID-19, it is impossible to have a “single global policy” because outbreaks are unfolding differently in different countries.
While countries with rampant community transmission may need to use the blunt instrument of blockades to gain control of the situation, others should dig to get a clear picture of where and how the virus is spreading locally.
They must be prepared to adjust or loosen the measures accordingly, he said, warning against the “release of pressure” on the virus, which has killed some 650,000 people and infected 16.3 million worldwide.
“Release the pressure on the virus and the numbers may go up again.”
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical leader at COVID-19, said that instead of waiting for drastic measures to keep the virus under control, people need to adapt their behaviors in the long term.
“What we are going to have to find out … what is our new normal like?” she told reporters.
“Our new normality includes physical distancing from others (and) wearing masks when appropriate,” he said.
“Our new normality includes knowing where this virus is every day, where we live, where we work, where we want to travel.”
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