How Australia IGNORED the World Health Organisation
Daily Mail Australia
2 hrs ago
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Australia appears to be finally flattening the infection curve in its battle against COVID-19 after the government decisively chose to ignore the World Health Organisation and respond to the pandemic in its own way.
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Indeed, the Australian government has been one step ahead of the WHO since even before the deadly virus reached Australian shores on 25 January.
That week, while the WHO director-general was busy saying China should be 'congratulated' for protecting 'the people of the world', the Australian government was hatching a national plan to stop the virus.
On February 1, when there were 14,000 recorded cases in the world, Australia banned flights from China.
Two days later, on February 3, the WHO was still telling countries not to initiate travel bans.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom stood up in front of the world's media and said there was no need for measures that 'unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade'.
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During a WHO meeting that day, China's delegate Li Song said banning Chinese people from travelling was 'seriously against recommendation by the WHO.'
But Scott Morrison took no notice and extended the ban before also blocking flights from Iran, South Korea and Italy, which also suffered outbreaks in February.
In radio interview with Alan Jones on 2GB on February 6, Mr Morrison backed his decision to ignore the WHO.
'We've noted all the things the WHO and others said. But frankly, we're making the calls based on what we think is best for Australia,' he said.
Then, on February 27, Australia became one of the first countries in the world to publicly declare the crisis had 'pandemic potential'.
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Mr Morrison told news reporters that afternoon: 'Based on the expert medical advice we have received, there is every indication that the world will soon enter a pandemic phase of the coronavirus.'
Meanwhile, the WHO was still refusing to use the word even as cases around the globe soared to 83,000.
'If misused, [the word] can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over,' director-general Adhanom said.
Finally, after huge international pressure, the WHO declared a pandemic on 11 March, two weeks after Mr Morrison used the word.
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How Australia IGNORED the World Health Organisation | Daily Mail Online
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