After the European Union, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe is preparing to publish next week six prerequisites for lifting restriction measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was stated by its Director-General, Hans Kluge, at his weekly press briefing on the pandemic on Thursday 16 April.
These six key factors, which will be communicated to the 53 Ministers of Health of the European Region on 17 April, are: - that transmission is controlled; - that health system capacities are in place to detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact; - that outbreak risks are minimized in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes; - that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it’s essential for people to go; - that importation risks can be managed; - that communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the “new norm”. “My main message [to States] is that if you cannot ensure that these conditions are met before relaxing the measures, then please, rethink your position”, concluded Hans Kluge.
On Wednesday 15 April, the European Commission had also published its vision for an orderly lifting of the restrictions, which was based on three minimum conditions (see EUROPE 12467/2). (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)