On Tuesday five years ago, the World Health Organization declared that Covid-19 had turned into a pandemic — a point at which global awareness of the escalating crisis was ignited.
The World Health Organization had previously issued its most serious alert five weeks prior. However, this warning — which avoids using the term "pandemic" — was disregarded.
On March 11, 2020, at a press briefing, the leader of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the escalating crisis was severe enough to be described as a pandemic.
It was only at this point that numerous nations began to comprehend the gravity of the circumstances and — far too belatedly — sprang into motion.
The like-of-a-century pandemic led to millions of deaths, devastated economies, and overwhelmed healthcare systems.
SHOC room scene
Tedros had previously activated the highest global warning system by announcing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. This PHEIC status remained in effect until May 5, 2023.
In February 2020, reporters frequently questioned the possibility of an impending pandemic. Then, during a press briefing on March 9, Tedros stated, "The risk of a pandemic has grown significantly."
The press conference set for March 11 was planned for 5:00 pm (1600 GMT). It was to be held in the lower room of the Strategic Health Operations Centre (SHOC) at the World Health Organization’s main office in Geneva.
The emergency operations center served as the venue for WHO’s internal daily briefings on COVID-19 in the mornings and hosted press conferences in the afternoons.
The 59-minute media briefing included Tedros, Michael Ryan from the World Health Organization’s emergency program, and Maria Van Kerkhove, who leads technical work for the WHO’s health emergencies program.
Tedros removed two pens from his jacket, fixed his glasses, glanced around the room, and then proceeded to read out his shocking announcement from a printed sheet on his desk.
He started by noting that the number of cases outside China had surged thirteenfold over the past two weeks, with the total count of affected nations rising threefold to 114. Around 4,291 individuals have perished, and many thousands more remain hospitalized.
"We have deep concerns not only about the frightening rates of transmission and seriousness of cases but also about the disturbing lack of action," stated Tedros.
Hence, we have determined that Covid-19 qualifies as a pandemic.
Game-changer
The seasoned correspondent John Zarocostas was positioned just three seats away from Van Kerkhove.
"'Pandemic' altered everything," he stated to AFP, who was present at the significant meeting.
He mentioned that the change was more jarring for people outside the room, who hadn’t been keeping up with WHO updates, compared to those inside who had been regularly attending the briefings.
He explained that he felt they (the WHO) had to take this action because the expected response from member states following the PHEIC declaration weeks prior was not materializing.
The shift altered the political landscape regarding how the national government responded. Everyone accelerated their efforts as a result.
The WHO viewed this announcement as recognizing an obvious situation rather than designating a higher state of emergency. However, global perception differed from this interpretation.
"A frustrated Ryan remarked on the March 2022 anniversary that 'the world was consumed by the term pandemic,'" he stated.
The alert issued in January (2020) held much greater significance compared to the notification made in March.
Would you prefer the warning to announce that you have just drowned? Or should it indicate that the flood is approaching?
New 'pandemic emergency' button
The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global society.
It might occur once more.
The World Health Organization states that another pandemic is inevitable.
In December 2021, member nations of the World Health Organization started working on a draft agreement focused on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, aiming to tackle the shortcomings revealed by the COVID-19 crisis.
Their last negotiation meeting will take place next month to finalize the document for presentation at the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in May.
They have already consented to allowing the WHO director-general, starting in September, to announce an even more severe level of "public health emergency," known as a PHEIC with pandemic potential. This designation is intended to garner greater public notice.
Tedros keeps urging nations not to repeat the pattern of disregard followed by hysteria that marked the lead-up to March 11, 2020.