The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, starts a two-day virtual annual meeting today, its first since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Global attention will be focused on calls for a review of the international response to the pandemic, supported by the European Union, and a push for a probe into the coronavirus’ origins, which has been backed by Australia.
The calls have come amid rising criticism of China’s handling of the outbreak by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said that Beijing should face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible” for the pandemic. The United States has also withdrawn funding for the WHO.
Australia’s most populous state New South Wales was encouraging its residents to avoid peak-hour public transport as it began its first full week of loosened lockdown measures, which saw people heading back to offices.
To aid with maintaining social distancing, extra bicycle lanes and pop-up car parking lots would be made available, officials said.
“We normally encourage people to catch public transport but given the constraints in the peak ... we want people to consider different ways to get to work,” state premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.
Global attention will be focused on calls for a review of the international response to the pandemic, supported by the European Union, and a push for a probe into the coronavirus’ origins, which has been backed by Australia.
The calls have come amid rising criticism of China’s handling of the outbreak by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said that Beijing should face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible” for the pandemic. The United States has also withdrawn funding for the WHO.
Australia’s most populous state New South Wales was encouraging its residents to avoid peak-hour public transport as it began its first full week of loosened lockdown measures, which saw people heading back to offices.
To aid with maintaining social distancing, extra bicycle lanes and pop-up car parking lots would be made available, officials said.
“We normally encourage people to catch public transport but given the constraints in the peak ... we want people to consider different ways to get to work,” state premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.