The US government’s accusation that the WHO has “pursued a politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by countries hostile to US interests” has been refuted and described as untrue. The agency, the statement said, “has always been and will remain impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty, and without fear or favor.”
Defense of the COVID-19 response
A significant portion of the statement is devoted to defending the WHO against US accusations of “failures” during the WHO COVID-19 Pandemic: Government says WHO has hindered the “timely and accurate exchange of critical information” and “concealed those failures.”
The agency refutes this by noting that it acted quickly during the pandemic, sharing all the information it had with the world quickly and transparently and advising member states based on the best available evidence.
The WHO has recommended the use of masks, vaccines and physical distancing, but at no point has it recommended mask mandates, vaccine mandates or lockdowns.
Immediately after receiving the first reports of a cluster of cases of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019, WHO asked China for more information and activated its emergency incident management system.
By the time the first death was reported from China on January 11, 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, public statements and social media, convened global experts and published comprehensive guidance for countries on how to protect their populations and healthcare systems.
When the Director-General of WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations on January 30, 2020 – the highest alert level under international health law – there were fewer than 100 reported cases and no reported deaths outside China.
In the early weeks and months of the pandemic, the Director-General repeatedly urged all countries to take immediate action to protect their populations, warning that “the window of opportunity is closing”, “this is not a drill” and describing COVID-19 as “public enemy number one”.
In response to the multiple assessments of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those of WHO’s performance, WHO has taken steps to strengthen its own work and support countries to strengthen their own preparedness and response to pandemics. The systems that WHO developed and managed before, during and after the emergency phase of the pandemic have helped keep all countries, including the United States, safe.
Door open for American return
Despite the withdrawal notice, WHO remains committed to global cooperation and expresses the hope that the United States will re-engage in the future. The agency highlights recent milestones including the adoption of the WHO pandemic agreement, described as “a landmark instrument of international law” aimed at preventing and responding to future pandemics.
As a founding member of WHO, the United States of America has contributed significantly to many of the organization’s greatest achievements, including the eradication of smallpox, and progress against many other public health threats, including polio, HIV, Ebolainfluenza, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and more.
“WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission,” the statement concluded, reaffirming its mandate to “promote the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people.”
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