A number of European countries, including Switzerland, have announced plans to ease restrictions put in place to cut the spread of Covid-19.
On 16 April 2020, Dr Hans Kluge, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, warned of the risks ahead.
Make no mistake, despite this spring weather, we remain in the midst of a storm. Several countries are yet to feel its full impact, while others are experiencing a dip as numbers of new cases of COVID-19 are falling. The next few weeks will be critical for Europe, according to Kluge.
As we consider transition, we must acknowledge there are no ‘quick wins’. Complexity and uncertainty lie ahead, which means that we are entering a period where we may need to rapidly adjust measures, introduce and remove restrictions, and ease restrictions gradually, whilst constantly monitoring the effectiveness of these actions and the response of the public, he said
Dr. Kluge’s overriding message to governments is that they ensure they have evidence that Covid-19 transmission is under control before easing restrictions, that systems to identify, isolate, test, trace and quarantine infected people are in place, that the vulnerable are protected, workplaces are set up to practice physical distancing, hand washing and respiratory etiquette, that infections from abroad can be managed, and that communities are involved in the transition.
If you cannot ensure these criteria are in place, before easing restrictions, please re-think, he advised governments.
More on this:
WHO press release (in English)
Video of Dr. Hans Kluge (in English)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
