Young people ‘not invincible’ in COVID-19 pandemic: WHO chief

Young people ‘not invincible’ in COVID-19 pandemic: WHO chief

Although older people are among those at highest risk of COVID-19, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has reminded younger generations that they are “not invincible” when it comes to the disease.

Evidence suggests that the spike in cases in some countries is partly due to younger people “letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer”, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“We have said it before and we’ll say it again: young people are not invincible. Young people can be infected; young people can die, and young people can transmit the virus to others,” he told journalists.

He stressed that the world’s youth “should be leaders and drivers of change” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tedros further advised that people everywhere must learn to live with the virus and to take steps necessary to protect themselves and others, including those who are most at risk, such as the elderly and people in long-term care.

Many countries have reported that more than 40 percent of COVID-19-related deaths have been linked to long-term care facilities and up to 80 percent in some high-income countries.

In response, the WHO has released a policy brief on preventing and managing COVID-19 in those facilities.

It lists key actions such as integrating long-term care in national response plans to counter the pandemic, ensuring strong infection prevention and control, and providing support for family and voluntary caregivers.

The brief also suggests ways to transform long-term care services so that older people can receive quality care that respects their rights, freedoms, and dignity, Tedros added.

Twenty-two international experts in fields such as anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and health promotion will help WHO understand how people make decisions that support their health and well-being, including during the pandemic.

The newly established Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health will support WHO’s ongoing work in this area.

Tedros explained that while having reliable information about health is important, people make decisions based on a variety of factors, influenced by culture, beliefs, economic circumstances, or the status of national health systems.

Original source: UN News
Published on 30 July 2020