Against the backdrop of a surge in COVID-19 cases in China, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) gathered in Geneva to discuss next steps in the fight against coronavirus infection. UN News reports.
It is noted that Chinese scientists had been invited to participate in the meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19. The 30-strong expert group was formed in June 2020 to advise the UN health agency and member states on coronavirus mutations and variants. The group’s last meeting was in October 2022.
In an earlier statement, WHO said that Chinese scientists had been invited to present detailed data on viral sequencing to the expert meeting at WHO headquarters in Geneva. The WHO head called on China to share information about its strategy to combat COVID-19. The organization also offered to help counter vaccine hesitancy in China.
The UN agency in particular called on Chinese authorities to strengthen viral sequencing, clinical management and impact assessment of its COVID surge.
China has adhered to «zero COVID» policy since 2020. However, in December, the country’s authorities lifted a number of restrictions adopted to contain the spread of the virus, which caused a sharp surge in the incidence and deaths.
