WHO is supporting ongoing vaccination efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing knowledge and assistance to immunization programmes worldwide and helping countries as they balance the threat of COVID-19 with the threat of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks and related-deaths.

The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published yesterday, estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in the past five years. The report forecasts the COVID-19 pandemic could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020. 

WHO has updated the risk assessment tools for mass gatherings,religious gatherings, and mass gatherings during sports events to guide authorities and planning and event organizers during the current COVID-19 pandemic. 

WHO has published an Emergency Global Supply Chain Sysetem (COVID-19) catalogue listing all medical devices, including personal protective equipment, medical equipment, medical consumables, single use devices, and laboratory and test-related devices, which may be requested through the COVID-19 Supply Portal. The catalogue represents an initial prioritized selection of items and are subject to constant reviw. 

Last Thursday WHO Director-General Dr Tedrosannounced the establishment of the Independent panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR)to evaluate the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a time for self-reflection, to look at the world we live in and to find ways to strengthen our collaboration as we work together to save lives and bring this pandemic under control” said Dr Tedros.