Read on Twitter
1/ A thread w/ observations from the live Q&A with #WHO this morning:
They are working really hard to control the narrative of #COVID19 spread and play a critical role, but still keep making silly, dangerous messaging mistakes. https://www.pscp.tv/w/1MnxnlVPNkVGO
They are working really hard to control the narrative of #COVID19 spread and play a critical role, but still keep making silly, dangerous messaging mistakes. https://www.pscp.tv/w/1MnxnlVPNkVGO
2/ None of the people in the room (at least 3+) at the @WHO Q&A were wearing masks, but sitting 1-2 m away from each other. This is consistent with their position that #masks are only important "where physical distancing of at least 1 m cannot be maintained.
3/ The @WHO did release "updated" #mask-wearing guidance yesterday 
that @mvankerkhove talked about today as "fine-tuning." https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1334149706738507784
that @mvankerkhove talked about today as "fine-tuning." https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1334149706738507784
4/ Nice to hear @mvankerkhove from #WHO mention #aerosols & #airborne spread:
"If you're in an indoor setting that has poor ventilation, the possibility of these aerosols generating and building up is higher, and so it can become airborne in those types of situations."
But ..
"If you're in an indoor setting that has poor ventilation, the possibility of these aerosols generating and building up is higher, and so it can become airborne in those types of situations."
But ..
5/ But #WHO emphasizes #masks only important if #ventilation is unknown. They ignore benefit of masks to reduce nearby #aerosol plume & build-up in room.
Really dangerous to rely on intuition on the ventilation rate, as @DrMikeRyan suggested, to guide whether you wear a mask!
Really dangerous to rely on intuition on the ventilation rate, as @DrMikeRyan suggested, to guide whether you wear a mask!
6/ Unfortunately, the @WHO staff have paid the price of this guidance through their own outbreak: https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1328563896865542145
7/ Also interesting that the seemingly simple statements today by @mvankerkhove about #airborne spread are in direct contradiction to the dangerous #misinformation still posted on their Twitter feed from March: https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1243972193169616898
8/ It seems to me the strategy for #WHO to avoid admitting they were (are?) wrong about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads is by pointing to "new research" or quietly "fine-tuning" guidance, even if these principles were long known & told to them.
9/ And because of this obstinance the #WHO can't accept other simple measures like the fact that #aerosols (that @mvankerkhove discussed today) also can still transmit through a room beyond 1 m. Thus, they talk out of both sides of their mouth while trying to save face.
10/ Some history of the evolution of #WHO on these topics (others by @jljcolorado that I can't find right now): https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1323339158228668416
11/ The @WHO is absolutely critical to public health & for this #COVID19 pandemic. They have done many excellent, helpful things, but they can also be a model for leadership & say 'we made missteps, but have learned and we are all on the same page now.' https://twitter.com/HuffmanLabDU/status/1330586797215080448
12/ Here’s a nice visual way to improve some images to better physical reality, from @mdc_martinus.
#WeAddAerosols #COVIDisAirborne https://twitter.com/mdc_martinus/status/1334170749473607684
#WeAddAerosols #COVIDisAirborne https://twitter.com/mdc_martinus/status/1334170749473607684
13/ How #COVID19 spreads is important, b/c the pandemic is still raging. The #vaccine is coming soon, but many communities are on fire with the disease and we MUST still empower people to make good choices ( #masks indoors!) to stay safe. Logical inconsistency by #WHO won't help.
