Putting on a good show, keeping face, professionalism in customer treatment can all be examples of emotional labour. When in the workplace dealing with others whether they be colleagues or customers we tend to give a positive emotional response despite the negativity of the other person (customer complaint) or our own current mood state (sadness, irritability) known as emotional dissonance. In this paper we will explore the phenomenon of emotional labour and its effect on workers productivity and social relations. The general outcome being that the strain of that dissonance creates mental health problems in the workplace.
Introduction:
Emotional labour can be seen as the affect of the current mood of a worker whilst engaging in interactions with others – putting on a good face for example despite feeling emotionally uncomfortable. (1. Robins/Judge 2013) These emotions can be driven by organisational expectations of an employees behaviour towards customers, clients and co-workers in support of the business goals to profit. For example in the service industry, customer complaints should be handled with a polite professional smiling attitude so that the customer perceives that their complaints are receiving serious attention. Despite the fact the service provider (customer relations officer) maybe be in a personal bad mood, have life problems or employment concerns – all this is swept aside to provide the company’s public positive image to the customer. For the employee engaged in such activities the strain of appearing positive and enthusiastic may cause both physical and emotional strain often leading to further deterioration in mood after work and in between assignments. You could argue that a good deal of the time we are in fact faking our emotions (feelings) in front of and towards others to support social conventions for example being polite. If a customer’s complaint is unreasonable, they are showing anger, accusing the company or misleading them and selling shoddy products – the company service support worker must maintain control over their own emotions despite feeling that the customer is wrong and the complaint is unwarranted or even ridiculous they still have to maintain the company driven reaction to the customer with calm professionalism. (2. Myler – Case Studies 2018) Some companies make being happy at work almost mandatory – where staff entertain, create an atmosphere or encourage excitement over the product and its associated feelings of happiness. For example, theme park staff forced to smile all day – try it yourself – it is very stressful to keep a happy demeanor in the face of disgruntled visitors waiting hours in a queue for a five minute ride or the phone shop worker being asked to entertain the queue of waiting customers with hi-fives and silly games. (3. Grandey et.al. 2010) Many customers in fact reporting discomfort at being targeted for unwanted attention and interaction). Therefore there is a difference between felt emotions (what I am actually thinking and feeling) than with displayed emotions (what is expected of me). After an interaction the employee can feel both exhausted by the forced situation and emotionally angry at faking their feelings for the benefit of others. Many people who suffer from depression report that faking happiness is the biggest strain of the day.
Culture and Emotional Labour
Culture may impact on how someone sees emotional labour as the expectations of others in the light of social comparison. (4. Matsumoto etal. 2009) For example many American service jobs, such as retail staff, service providers and customer interaction workers all feel that a positive upbeat smiling enthusiastic person is a definite requirement for the companies image management. The monocor – have a nice day – often rings false in the ears of those who understand this is not a genuine sentiment but a practiced social grace. In other cultures such as Japan or Asia in general – forced politeness or deference to not displaying emotions may in fact cause particular strain on everyday life where displaced emotion can be seen in acts of violence and sexual deviance. The French tend to not display openness in dealing with customers but in fact a non-smiling or even impolite attitudes towards their clients. This can cause companies dealing in global markets problems with staff in having to adapt and understand policy in line with the cultural underlying expectations of behaviour.
Mental Health
Many psychologists, counsellors and others such as nurses encounter patients (clients) who maybe presenting mental health problems such as anxiety (worry about future events) or depression (living with the past) that report difficulties in the work place in faking their emotions towards both colleagues and customers – that they feel the strain of the day at home later through irritability, sexual indifference a lack of appetite and sleep. Keeping up appearances at work therefore effects the very quality of our lives both in and out of the work place. (5. Myler Case Studies 2018) Dealing with difficult people whether customers or colleagues leaves us feeling exhausted physically and mentally. In therapy the psychologist maybe searching for psycho-dynamic reasons for the negative feelings from past patterns of behaviour and often miss the power of the here and now effect of faking your feelings at work simply due to enforced company policies that require us to present an image of well- being and happiness that actually is not there. Treatment therefore should focus on workplace stress rather than personal history.
Role Play & Emotional Labour:
Of course we are schooled from an early age in how to act given certain social situations, for example being happy at a birthday party ( don’t spoil it for everyone) to look sad at the funeral (even when we did not even like the deceased). We have learned behavior for situational displays of affect. Have you ever been told off – criticised – looked at the person with a smile on your face – and they say, “what are you smiling at?” they think you are not taking them seriously enough, acknowledging their concerns – the truth maybe that we think their remarks are unwarranted and silly – however our learned correct response is to – look serious and be intently listening – while all the time inside feeling what an idiot this person is! In other words we are often asked to fake it – for the sake of the other persons feelings – this is often seen as high empathy when in fact it is more often just a learned reaction to a situational event. Emotional intelligence is seen a as a panacea for management effectiveness but maybe little more than learned responses to situations, rather than a genuine cognitive response to some event. In other words emotional intelligence maybe more pop psychology than a fact. Measurement for emotional understanding may reflect no more about the learned response to given situations we have come to understand through cultural, generational and traditional customs of our community or group behaviour. Psychometric tests for emotional intelligence may in fact be invalid and not robust enough to provide any useful measure of a persons feelings towards others but in fact reflect that learned behaviour – what should be the response not what I actually feel inside.
Attributions Theory – Misunderstanding Others:
Attribution theory ( 6. Heider – 1958) suggests that we attend to what we see more than what we know. In other words – we do in fact judge a book by its cover. So if we are busy faking our emotions so must everyone else? So how do we know that the mood being displayed to us is genuine or faked. We pride ourselves on being able to know others feeling by their facial expressions, there seemingly genuineness and authentic sounding responses. In fact much of the time we maybe reacting to the faked emotion rather than the real one. We are often surprised to hear someone committed suicide – we may say – they always seemed so positive and happy looking – but that is exactly what a mis-attribution is – the lack of skills to identify a real emotion from a faked one – we are actually quite good at emotional labour at work and so do we really know what anyone is actually feeling, as opposed to what they are displaying to us. So the helpful shop assistant may in fact be bored rigid at having to seem enthusiastic about a product she has already spoken about ten times that day already.
In Summery:
Emotional labour is a situation where the employee expresses the companies desired response to a given situation. Emotional dissonance are our feeling of confusion between our internal feelings and the face we put upon the situation given company policy towards others. Felt emotions therefore being what we actually feel as opposed to displayed emotion being the faked response to another person. Finally emotional intelligence being no more than learned responses to events as we behave given the situation we find ourselves in. The consequences of faked emotions can be strain leading to emotional exhaustion that has both physical and emotional outcomes for mental health and general well-being. Judging others may in fact lead to mis-attributions where we think the faked emotion is in fact the real feelings of the other party.
To be honest, open and authentic would be real intimacy in our relationships but carries the high risk of rejection and misunderstandings.
As a part of our mission to offer helpful data on varied elements of life, we’re presenting the next diabetes articles to our revered members and our noble readers.
To facilitate studying these articles for our readers, additionally, now we have collated these article on a single web page with a well-designed desk of content material.
A Diabetic Food regimen for Vegetarians
In case you are a vegetarian who has been recognized with diabetes, you possibly can nonetheless preserve your diabetic weight-reduction plan. In some circumstances a vegetarian weight-reduction plan could also be a wholesome strategy to hold your blood glucose ranges secure – that’s in case you are consuming lean high-quality proteins and are following different guidelines for consuming as a diabetic.
As a whole lot of vegans and vegetarians eat a bigger quantity of vegatables and fruits in a day than a non-vegetarian and their fiber consumption is far larger too. An elevated quantity of fiber in a diabetic’s weight-reduction plan may help blood sugars as a result of it slows down the method of the physique digesting carbohydrates. A vegetarian’s weight-reduction plan is normally decrease in ldl cholesterol as properly and it will possibly assist thrust back heart problems together with coronary heart assaults and strokes.
In case you are diabetic and are contemplating a swap to a diabetic weight-reduction plan among the advantages you would possibly derive embrace the next charge of weight reduction and higher blood sugar readings. That is dependant on the kinds of vegetarian meals you select as some meatless meals might be simply as fattening as ones that include meat.
Converse to your physician and dietician earlier than making the swap. You have to data on the way to transition your self to your new weight-reduction plan. Additionally, you will get an inventory of meat options it’s best to eat with the intention to get sufficient protein in a day. These can embrace tofu, nuts, eggs, and seeds.
As with all change, as soon as you turn to a vegetarian weight-reduction plan give your self and your physique time to regulate. There are various recipes and concepts for vegetarian dishes and you will discover a whole lot of selection and adaptability within the meals that you simply put together. Test your blood sugars ceaselessly to ensure your blood glucose ranges stay secure through the change.
A DNA Hyperlink between Diabetes and Weight problems
There isn’t a recognized cause for what causes diabetes. There are definitely danger elements that make the probability of you being recognized with the illness larger. One of many solely danger elements that you’ve management over is your weight. In case you are overweight, the one smartest thing you are able to do on your well being and the prevention of diabetes is to drop pounds. Even in small increments, once you shed kilos you’re growing your well being advantages.
These could also be simpler stated than finished. There are new research that are actually exhibiting that there’s a genetic issue or mutation for people who find themselves overweight and have diabetes. This genetic malfunction impacts how the our bodies use power and insulin – two key components within the functioning of your physique and the reason for diabetes and weight problems.
The research additionally state that this isn’t a trigger and impact case. If you happen to carry this faulty gene you aren’t assured to be overweight or have diabetes. However the hyperlink is there and it may be prevented. You could have to work more durable at it than others to keep up a wholesome physique weight and delay diabetes however it may be finished. Focus on together with your physician choices and methods to forestall or put-off the onset of diabetes.
The gene that researchers have found as a precursor to diabetes has been present in younger youngsters. It’s scary to know that youngsters of their preschool years are being recognized with weight problems and sort 2 diabetes attributable to genetics. However mother and father can scale back or stop this stuff from taking place by giving their youngsters wholesome life-style decisions. Now {that a} DNA hyperlink has been discovered, the analysis can concentrate on discovering a strategy to repair or stop this from taking place sooner or later sooner or later.
A Wholesome BMI for Diabetics
Physique Mass Index (BMI) is a calculation that’s primarily based in your peak and weight to find out in case you are underweight, an excellent weight, chubby, or overweight. The check is a sign of the whole physique fats that you’re carrying round. The quantity ranges are pretty correct however there are some circumstances when the calculations is probably not 100% true. As these outcomes are purely primarily based on numbers, it’s best to take the quantity you’re given and focus on different contributing elements together with your physician (corresponding to muscle weight or physique kind issues).
A BMI of 30 or over is taken into account overweight. The upper finish of the dimensions for chubby individuals (25 – 29.9) and those who fall into the overweight class are at an elevated danger for creating kind 2 diabetes. Different hazard indicators are waist circumferences. In case you are a person and your waist measures 40 inches or extra and in case you are a girl and your waist measures 35 inches or extra, there’s an elevated stomach fats danger issue for diabetes and different ailments.
Sustaining a wholesome BMI is all about being at a weight that’s proper on your peak and physique kind. Each of those targets will carry many extra advantages than simply better-controlled blood glucose ranges. Additionally, you will have elevated power, can scale back the quantity of insulin you’re on, and provides your self an extended life expectancy.
Cut back your complete physique fats to carry your BMI right into a wholesome vary (18.5-24.9). Seek the advice of your physician and get recommendation on the way to meet your targets. And in case you are simply beginning an train routine, get the okay out of your physician first. You do not need to overtax your self originally and your physician might have some restrictions so that you can guarantee you don’t undergo from harm or hypoglycemia.
Adjusting your Diabetic Food regimen for Particular Events
Birthday events, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and extra are holidays and particular events which can be centered on meals. For most individuals, these are instances to anticipate the celebration and the consuming. For a diabetic it may be a anxious time, you need to partake in the entire good meals too however most instances it’s not made with a diabetic in thoughts. If the frequency of those occasions will not be too usually, you possibly can alter your weight-reduction plan for particular events so you can also have among the treats out there.
The toughest half about making ready for a special day is in case you have no idea what will be served. If that is so, a fast name to your host or hostess might be made. Most individuals won’t thoughts you asking particularly when you have dietary wants that should be considered. When you do know what’s being served, plan your meals for that day accordingly. It’s possible you’ll need to have fewer carbohydrates together with your breakfast and snack to make up for the additional ones you should have at a party the place pizza is being served.
An alternative choice for particular events is to supply to carry a dish for everybody to share. Make it one thing that you simply get pleasure from as a deal with however nonetheless follows the rules on your diabetic weight-reduction plan.
For household favorites and traditions, be inventive and search for methods to make the identical dishes with much less fats or sugar. You are able to do this by substituting common sugar with sugar substitutes or select entire wheat flour as a substitute of white for the additional fiber content material.
Through the holidays and different events, carefully monitor your blood sugars. Even with further care, the change in your weight-reduction plan can nonetheless lead to a blood sugar that’s too excessive or low.
Synthetic Sweeteners for Diabetics
The meals business has give you an answer for individuals on diets or with diabetes which have a candy tooth. They’re often known as synthetic sweeteners and they’re utilized in all the pieces from chewing gum, espresso sweeteners, and even baking. There may be some controversy over the usage of them as a few of them are completely artificial and others are derived from the precise sugar plant. However to a diabetic who doesn’t need to quit on their favourite pop or chewing gum, they could be a life-saver.
The 4 totally different sorts of synthetic sweeteners are saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Every of those varieties might be discovered below varied product names and types. Not all are made the identical manner they usually have totally different makes use of. Some you should purchase in liquid or powdered type for baking wants and others like aspartame is barely present in meals that you simply buy pre-made.
Using these synthetic sweeteners won’t increase blood sugar and are secure for a diabetic to make use of. Care and a focus remains to be wanted as a result of the meals objects you place sugar in or on almost certainly will affect your blood sugar. Nonetheless, comply with your diabetic weight-reduction plan however use some synthetic sweeteners to make it somewhat sweeter.
Some diabetics might need to use honey as an alternative choice to sugar. You definitely could make this substitution, nevertheless, honey is similar to sugar in carbohydrate content material and the consequences it can have in your blood glucose stage. It’s best to get pleasure from honey in small moderations if in any respect.
Aspartame has been linked in some medical research with Alzheimer’s illness. Converse to your physician about the advantages and dangers of utilizing any of the unreal sweeteners when you have any issues concerning the potential well being dangers.
Advantages of a Wholesome Diabetic Food regimen
Advantages of consuming a nutritious diet are for everybody however for a diabetic, there might be much more causes to comply with a nutritious meal plan. Protecting a secure blood glucose stage is the most important cause for a diabetic to comply with a diabetic weight-reduction plan. It takes dedication and endurance to stay with the weight-reduction plan and plan out all meals every week. However the extra that it’s finished the simpler it can change into.
One other good thing about consuming a wholesome diabetic weight-reduction plan is decreasing the quantity of insulin that’s wanted. By consuming good carbohydrate decisions and lean meats you’ll decrease the insulin necessities on your physique. The meals you eat all have an effect on your blood sugars and when you don’t select one of the best meals on your physique it can want extra insulin to course of them. Along with further insulin necessities, you’ll undergo from excessive blood sugars also referred to as hyperglycemia. This situation can have critical long-term results in your physique and its organs.
By persevering with with a nutritious diet and mixing it with common train you possibly can lose extra physique weight. This too is nice on your insulin necessities and blood glucose ranges. By incorporating train into your each day routine you can provide your physique’s metabolism a lift and assist it course of the meals you’re consuming. When the meals you absorb are wholesome decisions your physique goes to operate higher.
If you don’t comply with a nutritious diet you possibly can undergo from:
* Low blood sugar from not consuming sufficient – hyperglycemia * Excessive blood sugar from consuming an excessive amount of or consuming the mistaken meals – hypoglycemia * Acquire weigh and in flip enhance your each day insulin requirement * Lack the power wanted to train frequently
Consuming properly may help management your diabetes and delay your life expectancy.
Advantages of the Carbohydrate Counting Food regimen
The carbohydrate counting weight-reduction plan teams meals into three essential teams: carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. You dietician will give you the variety of carbohydrates you possibly can have in a day and the way that’s divided up amongst your meals and snacks. Your dietician may also educate you on how one can decide the numbers of carbohydrates are in a few of your favourite meals by studying meals labels.
The most important good thing about the carbohydrate counting weight-reduction plan is that it doesn’t get rid of any meals. A diabetic can select any meals they want to eat so long as they solely eat sufficient of it to fulfill their carbohydrate wants. The trick to that is to decide on healthful meals that can fill you up longer. The identical quantities of carbohydrates which can be in a small handful of potato chips aren’t equal to the 2 slices of bread you possibly can have as a substitute. However it’s good to know that in case you actually need to – every so often – you possibly can deal with your self.
One other profit is preserving a constant quantity of carbohydrates in your physique. This may help regulate your insulin wants and management. In case your physique has the identical quantity of carbohydrates to course of on the identical instances every day it is going to be useful to your well being and blood glucose readings.
While you select a carbohydrate counting weight-reduction plan you will need to be sure you are doing it appropriately. If you happen to don’t you possibly can an excessive amount of or too little and each conditions might be detrimental to your diabetes. Have a dietician train you the way to correctly rely carbohydrates and carefully monitor your blood sugar ranges to ensure the weight-reduction plan it working for you.
As with all new weight-reduction plan, give it time so that you can alter and learn to plan your meals correctly.
Advantages of the Change Food regimen
The alternate weight-reduction plan is one which permits you to decide and select the meals you eat from every of the six meals teams primarily based on portion sizes. While you start consuming with this weight-reduction plan, it could appear to be a whole lot of work however as you get used to the parts sizes and the frequent substitutions that you simply make it can get simpler.
One of many advantages of the alternate weight-reduction plan it the pliability you might have in your meal planning. So long as you’re consuming the proper variety of exchanges from every meals group you’ll preserve higher management of your blood glucose ranges.
If you happen to get bored fairly simply by consuming the identical meals day in and day trip, the alternate weight-reduction plan may be for you. There are infinite prospects to mix totally different meals collectively at meal instances. You possibly can have broccoli for dinner three nights in a row however make it a totally totally different meal every time. One night time you possibly can have one small potato, ½ cup of steamed broccoli and a one ounce beef chop; the second night time have ½ cup of cooked pasta tossed with ½ cup of broccoli and one ounce of cooked rooster; and the third night time strive 1/three cup of rice blended with ½ cup of broccoli and one ounce of lean floor beef.
The alternate weight-reduction plan additionally takes the guesswork out of meal planning for diabetics. It’s specified by a really easy and simple to know method. If there are meals that you simply can not discover on the alternate listing given to you by your dietician, name and discover out which group it belongs too and what a correct portion dimension is.
At first, it’s best to weigh and measure your meals to make sure you are utilizing the right quantities however as time passes it is possible for you to to do that by sight.
Carbohydrate Counting Food regimen
Carbohydrates a really large impression on blood glucose ranges as they’re transformed to sugar by the physique within the means of turning the meals into power. Too many carbohydrate servings can enhance blood sugar ranges. It is necessary for a diabetic to manage the variety of carbohydrates which can be eaten at every meal and steadiness the carbohydrates with protein whereas limiting fats consumption.
In this kind of meal plan, meals are grouped into three totally different classes: carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. The vast majority of meals that you simply eat include carbohydrates and this would be the largest meals group. Meals on this group embrace:
* Grains – bread, crackers, rice, cereal, pasta * Dairy – milk, yogurt * Greens which can be thought-about starchy – corn, peas, and potatoes * The remainder of the vegetable household * Fruit, together with fruit juices * Desserts and different treats – chosen in restricted quantities
This weight-reduction plan would require you to measure your meals for serving sizes and skim meals labels to find out what number of servings are carbohydrates it needs to be counted as. It’s customary to think about 15 grams of carbohydrates as one serving. For example, in case you are having crackers as a snack and are allowed one serving of carbohydrates you’ll take a look at the meals label to determine what number of crackers you possibly can have. If the serving dimension is 20 crackers and that equals 30 grams of carbohydrates, for a diabetic that will be thought-about two servings. On this instance, you’ll half the serving dimension and eat 10 crackers to equal 15 grams of carbohydrates.
After a while and expertise, you’ll change into adept at counting carbohydrates and realizing what meals work properly together with your blood glucose ranges and what ones don’t. No two diabetics reply the identical strategy to each meals, you will have to study what your individual preferrred diabetic weight-reduction plan is.
Childhood Weight problems and Sort 2 Diabetes
When a baby is recognized with diabetes it’s generally known as juvenile diabetes or kind 1 diabetes. This sort of diabetes will not be associated to a baby’s life-style, it’s an autoimmune illness that leads to the necessity for insulin injections for meals to be was power correctly. In recent times there was an elevated variety of youngsters which have been recognized with kind 2 diabetes. That is an alarming development and one that may be mitigated as a result of the hyperlink between youngsters and sort 2 diabetes is childhood weight problems.
As it’s pretty new that youngsters are being recognized with kind 2 diabetes there isn’t a whole lot of data or research on it presently. However what is understood is that folks have to take motion instantly. As soon as a baby has been recognized at an older age there isn’t a lot that may be finished besides to handle the illness. But when a youthful baby is overweight and makes wholesome life-style adjustments that lead to weight reduction there’s a probability that kind 2 diabetes might be prevented.
A few of the early warning indicators that your baby might have diabetes embrace:
* A sudden enhance in thirst that seems to by no means be satiated * An elevated have to urinate * Darkish patches on the pores and skin – normally discovered within the folds of the pores and skin, across the neck or across the eyes
As there are numerous different ailments and issues that may come up in case your baby is overweight it’s best to hunt medical assist on your baby. Between you and your well being care skilled, a plan might be made and put into place that can begin your baby on the highway to a more healthy weight and a extra lively life-style. Your baby could also be resistant at first however by involving them within the course of and persistence the adjustments might be made.
Getting married is an important part of anyone’s life and there is no better way of appreciating friends and family with the best return gifts. Return gifts is a tradition that has been around for many years now for purposes of thanking those who attended your special day and ensure that they were indeed satisfied.
Gifting itself is a tradition in many cultures. These are offered during baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. They express deep appreciation and gratitude. Today, it is very common to see return gifts after the celebrations. It does not matter what the occasion is. This kind of present is always appreciated and helps people to remain connected. The fact that they have to be purchased in large numbers, it is hard to settle for the most appropriate one for the list. They can be personalized items, utility items, gift cards, décor items, and so on.
Why give this kind of present
When you give presents, it will show guests that you appreciated their presence and the fact that they celebrated with you. The guests also feel honored and appreciated. As such, they feel that they were a part of the special moment. This makes them feel your happiness and gratitude towards them.
There are cultures where the present is an ideal way of the wife or husband to share happiness and good luck after the wedding.
Things to consider when selecting the best
When you are making a present choice, it is important to be practical. This should be something that people can be able to see and care for from time to time. This is the way to remind them that they were indeed a part of your day. Great choices include bottle openers and saplings.
You may also pick a thing that will have meaning to the guest. The fact that they attended your day means that they do have a connection with you and therefore you may know each other on some levels.
You may consider where you are based. When you are in a certain geographical setting, you may choose a present that has some significance culturally. There are some places where a lucky elephant or a gold idol is a great choice. Other cities appreciate candles and small pictures.
If you are not sure about the present, then you may choose something that is edible like baskets of chocolate or dried fruits.
Go for the products that are eco-friendly. This allows your appreciation to be seen and create a greater environmental consciousness.
Handmade products are an amazing choice too. You can go for paintings, carvings, or hangings. These can be a bit on the expensive side and are only a choice when the budget can allow it. It can be a great choice if you had a small guest list.
It is very important to explore the market, as there are many options that are available. There are many choices that you can end up with regardless of your own personality or that of the guest list. Your budget will also determine what you should go for. This is an amazing way to appreciate your guests.
Denrele Edun Release New Cute Photos To Celebrate Birthday
Eclectic media personality Denrele Edun has released new photos from his shoot with GQ France and along with it came a side note to put off everyone calling him gay or bi.
Banquets have been a venue for entertainment since ancient times, continuing until the 21st century, when they are still being used for many of their original purposes – to impress visitors, especially important ones; to show hospitality; as an occasion to showcase supporting entertainments such as music or dancing, or both. They were an integral part of court entertainments and helped entertainers develop their skills. They are also important components of celebrations such as coronations, weddings, birthdays civic or political achievements, military engagements or victories as well as religious obligations. In modern times, banquets are commercially available, for example, in restaurants and combined with a performance in dinner theatres. Cooking by professional chefs has also become a form of entertainment as part of global competitions such as the Bocuse d'Or.
Fireworks are a part of many public entertainments and have retained an enduring popularity since they became a "crowning feature of elaborate celebrations" in the 17th century. First used in China, classical antiquity and Europe for military purposes, fireworks were most popular in the 18th century and high prices were paid for pyrotechnists, especially the skilled Italian ones, who were summoned to other countries to organise displays. Fire and water were important aspects of court spectacles because the displays "inspired by means of fire, sudden noise, smoke and general magnificence the sentiments thought fitting for the subject to entertain of his sovereign: awe fear and a vicarious sense of glory in his might. Birthdays, name-days, weddings and anniversaries provided the occasion for celebration." One of the most famous courtly uses of fireworks was one used to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and while the fireworks themselves caused a fire, the accompanying Music for the Royal Fireworks written by Handel has been popular ever since. Aside from their contribution to entertainments related to military successes, courtly displays and personal celebrations, fireworks are also used as part of religious ceremony. For example, during the Indian Dashavatara Kala of Gomantaka "the temple deity is taken around in a procession with a lot of singing, dancing and display of fireworks".
The "fire, sudden noise and smoke" of fireworks is still a significant part of public celebration and entertainment. For example, fireworks were one of the primary forms of display chosen to celebrate the turn of the millennium around the world. As the clock struck midnight and 1999 became 2000, firework displays and open-air parties greeted the New Year as the time zones changed over to the next century. Fireworks, carefully planned and choreographed, were let off against the backdrop of many of the world's most famous buildings, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens, Red Square in Moscow, Vatican City in Rome, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and Elizabeth Tower in London.
Originally broadcast live on 06 April 2020, the daily press briefing on coronavirus COVID-19, direct from WHO Headquarters, Geneva Switzerland with Dr Tedros WHO Director-General, Dr Micheal Ryan, Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme, and Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Technical lead, WHO Health Emergencies Programme with special guests Lady Gaga and Hugh Evans, CEO and Co-founder of Global Citizen.
Transcript:
Speaker key:
TJ Tarik Jasarevic
TAG Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
LG Lady Gaga
HE Hugh Evans
MR Dr Michael Ryan JA Jamie
MK Dr Maria Van Kerkhove KA Kai
KT Kate
IN Innocent
YA Yang
00:00:19
TJ Good evening to everyone from Geneva and WHO headquarters. Welcome to the regular press conference on COVID-19. Journalists who are online can ask their questions by clicking raise hand if you are
on Zoom. Today we have a special guest but I will let Dr Tedros do his opening remarks and introduce them. Before I give the floor to Dr Tedros, just to remind you, we will also be sending you some news from other
WHO offices around the world with the audio file from this press briefing a little bit later. I give the floor immediately to Dr Tedros.
00:01:07
TAG Good morning, good afternoon and good evening. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on families, communities and nations the world over but it’s also giving rise to incredible acts of generosity,
solidarity and co-operation. We have said consistently that we’re all in this together and we can only succeed together. We need an all- of-society approach with everyone playing their part. That includes people in the entertainment
industry.
Today I’m very delighted to be joined by one of the biggest names in entertainment in the world, Lady Gaga, and my friend Hugh Evans, the founder and CEO of Global Citizen.
WHO has been working with Global Citizen for several weeks on the Together At Home concert series with artists like Chris Martin and John Legend giving free online performances.
Now we’re working with Lady Gaga and Global Citizen to take this concept and make it even bigger through the One World Together At Home virtual global special on Saturday 18th April. It’s now my great pleasure to invite
Lady Gaga and Hugh Evans to say more about this very special event, One World.
00:03:10
LG Thank you very much, Dr Tedros. Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to everyone who’s listening and watching. I would like to thank the World Health Organization and the
United Nations as well as Global Citizen; thank you very much, Dr Tedros and Hugh Evans, for all of your leadership in this fight against COVID-19 and thank you very much to the World Health Organization for asking me to collaborate
with you on this special.
We are also very grateful to all of the healthcare professionals across the country and around the world who are on the front lines during COVID-19. This global pandemic is a catastrophe. I’m so thankful to them and I’m also
praying for those who are sick. It’s been a pleasure to partner with Global Citizen and we’ve been working all together behind the scenes to raise money for the World Health Organization.
I would also like to send my prayers as well to people that are losing their jobs and are having a hard time feeding themselves and their children. We are raising money for the World Health
Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and seven days ago we held a call with more than 68 corporate leaders from some of the world’s biggest and most generous companies and I asked them to join my corporate kindness
list as there have been many corporations and philanthropists that have been very, very generous during this time.
00:04:38
Since then we have also been calling on philanthropists around the world as well and tech companies included. I’d like to reiterate our deep gratitude to the medical community. My heart is very, very aching and warm for those
who are ER doctors as well as nurses who are sleeping in cars to make sure they don’t infect their families or their patients. What you’re doing is putting yourselves in harm’s way to help the world
and we all salute you and you are a triumph truly.
I am proud to say that over the past seven days we’ve raised a total of $35 million for the Solidarity Fund. This money will [inaudible] essential PPE, supplies and testing kits around the world and will help improve lab capacity
to rapidly process tests. It will also [inaudible] research development. It is so important to think globally and to support the World Health Organization to curb the pandemic and prevent future outbreaks.
I know Dr Tedros is particularly concerned about Africa and [inaudible]. We also need to act globally by supporting local charities and initiatives so that the front-line health workers in most immediate need have the resources they need
to survive during this time. It has been an honour to help with this huge broadcast event, which will take place on April 18th, where we need to tell the stories of and celebrate the front-line community, healthcare workers and their acts of kindness.
We will be on different networks, many networks actually and I want to [inaudible] about what we’re going to be doing. What’s very important is that two things happen for all of us; that we celebrate and we highlight the singular, kind global community
that is arising right now. Two, we want to highlight the gravity of this historically unprecedented cultural movement and, three, we want to celebrate and encourage the power of the human spirit.
00:06:47
I would like to, on behalf of the World Health Organization and Global Citizen, thank Dr Tedros as well as everyone that has donated so far. We are going to continue fundraising but I would like to also let you know that
this broadcast special is not actually a fundraiser. We all wanted to raise the money before we went on air so when we do air live on April 18th put your wallets away, put your credit cards away, anything
away that you need to and just sit back and enjoy the show that you all very much deserve.
I’d like to pass this now to Hugh Evans, who’s been a wonderful partner of mine. Hugh, thank you so much and thank you, Dr Tedros.
HE Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and thank you, Dr Tedros and thank you, Lady Gaga. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen; Lady Gaga, Dr Tedros,
you’ve both demonstrated extraordinary leadership at an unprecedented moment when our society is being challenged like never before and we are so thankful for your leadership. I’d like to echo Lady Gaga’s sentiment and commend the incredible acts
of bravery demonstrated by the front-line community health workers around the world and I hope that we as a shared humanity emerge from this moment forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers and all of those who are
the backbone of our communities.
Global health is at the very core of the global citizen mission and we must ensure that the world’s poorest and most marginalised people have access to resources to cope with and tackle this health crisis. Through One
World: Together At Home on April 18th we’ll be calling on philanthropists, corporations and governments to fund critical global COVID-19 response efforts including distribution of resources and PPE to critical front-line healthcare
workers.
00:09:09
In our partnership with the WHO and United Nations Global Citizen is committed to driving action to help ensure our global health systems are strong enough to stop a future pandemic before it happens. April 18th is going to be a moment of global unity
connecting the world through a historic global broadcast. We are bringing together the greatest artists in the world under the passionate and extremely talented curation of Lady Gaga.
In alphabetical order some of the artists we’ll be announcing today include Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, Sir David Beckham, Eddie Vedder,
Sir Elton John, Finneas, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J Balvin, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Maluma, Sir Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Stevie Wonder and many more to be announced over the coming weeks from all corners of the globe under the passionate and extremely talented curation of Lady Gaga.
We’re grateful to all of you for participating and supporting this critical effort. One World Together At Home will be broadcast live on Saturday April 18th 2020 at 5:00pm PDT, 8:00pm EDT and 12:00am BST, airing on ABC, NBC, Viacom and CBS networks,
IHeartMedia, and Bell media networks and platforms in Canada. Internationally BBC1 will run the programme on Sunday April 19th and additional international broadcasters include BN Media Group, Multi-Choice Group and RTE in Ireland.
00:11:43
The digital broadcast will celebrate and support brave community health workers who are doing life-saving work on the front line and we’ve all seen the limitations of world leaders around this world to step up and face this extraordinary challenge
and we want to do our best to support the essential work of the World Health Organization, driving action and raising critical funds. Thank you again, Dr Tedros, and thank you, Lady Gaga, for your leadership.
Thank you all.
TJ Thank you very much to our guests for their remarks. Dr Tedros, I guess you would like to thank them too.
TAG Once again I would like to thank Lady Gaga and Hugh Evans for their partnership. We had a call last week and I was so amazed by the energy and passion of Lady Gaga. It’s incredible commitment to humanity and that’s
when I said, I think what she has planned can happen. It’s bringing the world together to improve awareness and to mobilise resources to fight the pandemic so I thank her for her incredible passion and commitment and leadership and
also to my friend, Hugh Evans, for connecting all the dots and for his leadership.
We all look forward to joining you for the One World: Together At Home concert on 18th April. As the pandemic continues we recognise that individuals and governments want to do everything they can to protect themselves and others and so do we.
We understand that some countries have recommended or are considering the use of both medical and non-medical masks in the general population to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
00:14:21
First and foremost medical masks must be prioritised for health workers on the front lines of the response. We know medical masks can help to protect health workers but they’re in short supply globally. We’re concerned that the mass
use of medical masks by the general population could exacerbate the shortage of these specialised masks for the people who need them most. In some places these shortages are putting health workers in real danger.
In healthcare facilities WHO continues to recommend the use of medical masks, respirators and other personal protective equipment for health workers. In the community we recommend the use of medical masks by people who are sick and those who
are caring for a sick person at home.
WHO has been evaluating the use of medical and non-medical masks for COVID-19 more widely. Today WHO is issuing guidance and criteria to support countries in making that decision. For example countries could consider using masks in communities where other measures such as cleaning hands and physical distancing are harder to achieve because of lack of water or cramped living conditions.
If masks are worn they must be used safely and properly. WHO has guidance on how to put on, take off and dispose of masks. What’s clear is that there is limited research in this area. We encourage countries that are considering the use
of masks for the general population to study their effectiveness so we can all learn. Most importantly masks should only ever be used as part of a comprehensive package of interventions. There is no black or white answer and no silver bullet.
Masks alone cannot stop the pandemic. Countries must continue to find, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact. Mask or no mask, there are proven things all of us can do to protect ourselves and others.
00:17:13
Keep your distance, clean your hands, cough or sneeze into your elbow and avoid touching your face. Less than 100 days since WHO was notified about the new coronavirus research has accelerated at incredible speed. The viral genome
was mapped in early January and shared globally, which enabled tests to be developed and vaccine research to start. More than 70 countries have joined WHO’s Solidarity Trial to accelerate the search for an effective treatment and about
20 institutions and companies are racing to develop a vaccine.
WHO is committed to ensuring that as medicines and vaccines are developed they’re shared equitably with all countries and people. I want to thank the Medicines Patent Pool and Unitaid for the initiative they announced last
Friday to include medicines and diagnostics for COVID-19 in their licensing pool.
I also want to thank the President of Costa Rica, President Carlos Alvadaro, and the Health Minister, Daniel Salas, for their proposal to create a pool of rights to tests, medicines and vaccines with free access or licensing on reasonable and affordable
terms for all countries. Muchas gracias, Mr President. I support this proposal and we’re working with Costa Rica to finalise the details.
00:19:09
Poorer countries and fragile economies stand to face the biggest shock from this pandemic and leaving anyone unprotected will only prolong the health crisis and harm economies more. I call
on all countries, companies and research institutions to support open data, open science and open collaboration so that all people can enjoy the benefits of science and research.
Finally we’re nearing the end of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is one piece of good news. If there are no more cases the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo could declare the outbreak over as early
as this Sunday. We’re not there yet and we remain in full response mode. We’re continuing to investigate alerts and to test samples.
This would not have been possible without the incredible health workers who have put themselves at risk for more than 18 months to stop this outbreak, just as health workers are putting themselves in danger to save lives from COVID-19. Health
workers in DRC faced the double threat of fighting a deadly virus in one of the world’s most dangerous and unstable regions, exposing themselves to Ebola and bullets.
Tomorrow, as you know, is WHO’s birthday, a day we celebrate each year as World Health Day. This year we’re paying tribute to the incredible contribution of all health workers, especially nurses and midwives. Nurses and midwives are the backbone of
every health system. They’re there from the first moments of life to the last. Tomorrow we’re publishing our first report on the state of the world’s nursing which highlights gaps and makes recommendations for all countries.
00:22:00
One of the lessons I hope the world learns from COVID-19 is that we must invest in health workers, not only to protect lives but also to protect livelihoods. I thank you.
TJ Thank you very much, Dr Tedros. Also, as always, we have Dr Mike Ryan and Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, who will be answering questions. We will now open the floor. I will go to one question
that I received by email this morning and I promised to answer; that’s Ankit Kumar from India Today. Ankit is asking; we have recently seen a spike in cases caused through religious gatherings in India, in fact almost a third of new cases
were linked to one gathering in India. We have also seen incidents of violence against health workers due to fear and misinformation. Is WHO concerned with these developments, what is WHO’s message to religious and community leaders and their
followers?
MR First and foremost the idea of violence against health workers is driven by fear and it’s driven by misunderstanding but it’s really unacceptable. We ask everyone and every community to see our health workers
as our heroes and to support them in every way we can.
With regard to gatherings of any type, be they religious or be they for other purposes, there are always risks associated with such gatherings in the midst of a major epidemic. WHO has issued guidance on that. Many of these gatherings
are now postponed or cancelled. We’ve been working very, very closely with religious and faith-based organisations all over the world including groups from the Islamic tradition, Christian
traditions and others and continue to work through faith-based organisations to communicate using our Epiwin platform.
00:24:21
We’re also continuing to develop guidance specifically for the holy month of Ramadan and are working through our Eastern Mediterranean regional office to be able to advise governments and religious institutions on how best to manage
the risks associated with such holy events.
But it’s very important again; having COVID-19 is not anybody’s fault. Every case is a victim and every case needs to be treated with sensitivity, as the health workers who treat them so it’s very important that we’re not profiling COVID-19
along racial, along religious, along ethnic lines. This is not helpful.
TJ Thank you very much. This was a question from Ankit Kumar from India Today. Now we will go to journalists online. We will start with Jamie from Associated Press. Jamie, can you hear us?
JA Hi, yes. Can you hear me? TJ Yes. Please go ahead.
JA Great, thank you very much. I wanted to ask you about… Over the weekend Dr Anthony Fauci mentioned that – if I understood it correctly – as much as 50% of transmission could be asymptomatic. Just aligned
with that, if you could give us a little bit more about what you’re thinking about the fact that some countries have said that this outbreak is more infectious than influenza. The CDC is saying that it’s up
to three times more infectious than influenza so what do you have to say about that? Thanks.
00:26:13
MK I’ll start and then perhaps Mike or DG would like to supplement. The modes of transmission and the way in which this virus is transmitted are of significant interest to all of us. What we are doing is working
with member states, we’re working with everyone that’s affected by this, looking through the research and trying to understand when most transmission is happening, when any transmission is happening.
What we know from reports, what we know from published literature is that the predominant way in which transmission is occurring is amongst symptomatic individuals and these are people that can be very early on in symptoms, even when they start
to feel a little bit unwell. This is supported by some data that attempts to catch a virus from individuals who are symptomatic.
We also know that it’s possible that people can transmit in the few days before they become symptomatic or in their pre-symptomatic phase. There have been some studies that have come out and we learned about this when we were on mission
in China back in January or early February, that there are individuals that can shed virus one to three days before they develop symptoms.
However it’s very important to note that even if you are pre-symptomatic or even if you don’t have any recognised symptoms you still have to transmit through droplets, you still have to have these infectious particles that come out
of your nose and your mouth. So while we know that that is possible we do not believe that it’s a major driver of transmission.
00:27:42
We’ve also seen modelling estimates that suggest that there’re large numbers of unrecognised transmission and I used unrecognised on purpose because I’m not saying asymptomatic. I’m saying that we may be missing people who are out there who are infected
but we’re missing them because of current surveillance strategies. That is certainly possible in many parts of the globe.
Whether or not those individuals are asymptomatic; we will have to wait until we see the results of serologic studies, which we hope we’ll be seeing in the coming days if not weeks.
So what we can say is that most people are transmitting this virus while they are symptomatic.
JA Hi, Jamie. Just in addition because I think – I would never in any way contradict my good friend, Tony Fauci, such an eminent man. There are many different estimations of what might represent asymptomatic
transmission or other infections in the community and we do know and everyone accepts that when the seroepidemiology studies do come online we will probably find more people who’ve been infected unknowingly; there’s no question of that.
The thing we need to address in all of this is very often the idea of severity versus infection and there is a huge association between the dose of exposure and the severity of infection. We see this in many other
infectious diseases so we also probably need to look at who is getting sick and very sick and is the dose and the type of exposure they’re getting different to those who may be exposed and seroconverted in the community.
00:29:26
So it’s not just a matter of looking at how many people in the community are infected but are there specific elements of exposure that cause individuals to have a higher dose of exposure or a specific route of exposure
that causes more severe infection? There is also that concept of infectious dose when we talk about the different types of transmission. If somebody is exposed to a high dose from another individual directly or from a surface that’s
heavily contaminated you can imagine the large dose.
In other circumstances individual particles or virus particles potentially floating through the air; it can be demonstrated that that may happen in certain circumstances, certainly in healthcare settings. But is that significant in
terms of driving infection, is that significant, does that produce an infectious dose that can successfully infect another individual?
These are all very important things that still need to be studied. Again we’re only a number of weeks into this. I think we need to have the seroepi studies. I think we need more information on what is the infectious dose and particularly
the relationship between the dose of exposure or infection and the severity of disease subsequently, which has been seen with many, many other diseases in the past including cholera, Ebola and others.
TJ Thank you very much, Mike and Maria. We will go now to our next question; that’s Kai Kupferschmidt. Kai, can you hear us?
00:31:01
KA Yes, Tarik. Thanks a lot for taking my question. I wanted to ask about the global push to try and find a pre-exposure prophylaxis or a post-exposure prophylaxis. I understand there’re
several trials going on, most of them with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. I was just wondering whether you can speak a little bit to what role this could potentially play.
Of course also there’re a lot of smaller studies going on. Is there any way to make sure that they all lead to results that can be proved in the end?
MR Maria can give you more detail but certainly one of the Solidarity trials – I think Solidarity 3 or 4 – we have one of the trials under design which will be a multi-centre study which will look at prophylaxis in healthcare workers to see whether there’s evidence that giving lower doses of drugs like chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to healthcare workers would reduce their risk of becoming infected in a healthcare environment.
Those studies are certainly underway and again there are a number of those studies underway in smaller studies around the world but again as WHO we’re trying to bring together a larger set of collaborative studies that will give
us the answers we need.
In terms of post-exposure prophylaxis I don’t believe we have at the moment studies planned but Maria can speak to that but there is certainly evidence for the use of – not proven evidence of effectiveness but there are a number
of studies underway and trials underway that use hyperimmune globulin in the treatment of disease; in other words they use that purified plasma of recovered individuals to give an antibody boost to people who are
suffering the disease.
00:32:49
Similar approaches have been used in post-exposure prophylaxis for other diseases but Maria may be aware of studies underway in that area.
MK Only to add that, as you mentioned, there are a number of smaller studies that are happening globally and across a large number of countries. We have teams through our science division and through GOARN,
through the Global Outbreak Alert Network, who are pulling together available literature on a number of topics, one of which is looking at different types of therapeutics and drugs.
The idea is until we can have a study that pulls together enough of a sample size to get these answers to these questions we’re trying to evaluate every piece of evidence that is published so that we can look at the way in
which these studies were done, we can look at the strengths, we can look at the limitations so that can help guide us closer towards an effective treatment for COVID-19.
TJ Thank you very much. The next question is from BFM Radio. Is is Kate who is with us?
KT Yes, hi. Good evening or good morning. I’m from BFM Radio Malaysia. My question is, many countries around the world have imposed lock-downs or some sort of restrictions on movement. I was wondering
what WHO’s guidance would be; what’s the sweet spot, the kind of data that governments need to consider before lifting or relaxing some of these lock- downs? Thank you very much.
00:34:29
MR Thank you. It is a difficulty for governments right now because the lock-downs in many situations are proving effective in dampening the flames of the epidemic in those countries but those
lock-downs are also causing great economic hardship and everybody especially in the developing world needs to get to a more sustainable way of managing this epidemic and controlling COVID-19 without continuing to damage economic and social life.
The transition strategy out of lock-down requires a calibrated, step-wise approach. It would be probably very inadvisable just to lift a complete lock-down, all of the measures because lock-downs are a general term that
include closure of schools, closure of churches, stay-at- home orders, closure of workplaces. It’s a mixture of different things and I think each government needs to break out, what does our lock-down actually constitute, what are the elements
of our lock-down, where is that happening in the country, do we now understand the epidemiology of the disease in each area in which we have an element of lock-down or shut- down.
Then to chart the path out, you have to build strong public health capacity to take over from the lock-down. In other words the lock-down is pushing the disease down by putting people back in their homes, by separating communities. Once you raise
the lock-down you have to have an alternative method to suppress the infection. The way to do that is active case finding, testing, isolation of cases, tracking of contacts, quarantining of contacts and strong community education and
participation and ownership around normal physical distancing, hygiene and giving communities the power to control infection by in effect managing their own physical distance, managing their own capacities to support the response.
00:36:32
In that situation, if you’ve strong public health capacity, if you’ve got a community that’s mobilised and empowered and if you’ve strengthened your health system then you’re potentially in a position to start unlocking or unwinding the lock-down.
The specific parameters you need to be looking at are on two sides.
One is, it would be very inadvisable to lock down [sic] if the number of cases coming through the hospital is already at a level where your occupancy of beds is nearly at 100%. You need to be in a position where
you now have free beds in your system so that you’re managing and coping with the caseload and that means you have some absorption capacity left.
You need to look at things like the doubling rate; how many days does it take for the number of cases to double? You need to look at positivity rates; what proportion of all samples that we test are positive? You’ll see in
somewhere like Korea two to 6% of the samples they test are positive. Last week in New York 37% of tested samples were positive so you need to carefully look at what proportion of people you test are positive.
00:37:45
You need to look at the number of contacts that are generated per case and it goes on and on and WHO will be issuing guidance to countries that is a much more specific around the parameters they should be looking at. There are no absolutes here, there
are no answers, there are no numbers that say if this number is this then you do that. That doesn’t exist but what we can do is offer countries very specific measurements that they need to look at to chart the path out of lock-down.
That step-wise approach of unlocking somewhat and then waiting to see; I think you need to say, we will stop doing this element of the shut-down and then we will wait and we will look at the data and if that works we go to the next
stage and the next stage. So a careful, calibrated, step-wise exit from lock-down with putting in place public health capacities, putting in place community capacity, building the capacity of the health system to cope should the disease bounce back up; that’s the safe path out of lock-down.
We want to achieve it as quickly as possible and we want to avoid many countries going into that circumstance and we still have many countries around the world who are not in a locked- down situation. In fact their epidemiology would suggest
they can avoid the worst of this and we need to support them to avoid them going into that situation.
The most damaging lock-downs are in many developing countries where people – as the DG has said many times – can live from hand to mouth, not from pay cheque to pay cheque but from day to day and we have to find adaptive solutions
around lock-down and around disease control in vulnerable periurban populations living in poverty, in poor rural communities. We have to find alternative, adapted ways to manage lock-downs or slow-downs or shut-downs in
those situations.
00:39:41
TJ Thank you very much. This was Kate from BFM Radio in Malaysia. Now we will go to Nigeria to Natural Star and it’s Innocent. Innocent, can you hear us?
IN Thank you. Can you hear me?
TJ Not very well but we will try. Please go ahead.
IN Okay, thank you for taking my questions. I have two questions to ask. One; how will WHO assess African countries on what they’ve done concerning the lock-down and management of COVID-19?
Then the second one; there’s news going around that vaccines are to be tested on Africans when they’re developed. How true is that and is there a window that’s in the nearer future when a vaccine will be developed for COVID-19? Thank you.
Hello?
TJ Yes, we are just trying to make sure that we understood the question but we will try. MR I think this is Nigeria. Is it?
TJ Yes.
00:41:08
MR Maria may answer the question around vaccine development. With regard to our general assessment on lock-down – and the Director-General may wish to comment on this because he’s been speaking with many leaders in Africa
and, I believe, spoke with the whole of the African Union leadership and countries late last week so therefore is in a much better position than me to speak about that.
We would characterise so far, Africa’s actually doing well in this response thus far. Countries have essential capacities for testing, many countries are taking strong action and want to really focus on finding cases and doing contact tracing and trying to stop this disease becoming much more extensive given the fact that health systems are not as strong in many countries.
They need support in that though, they need support in testing, they need support with protective gear and they need to be given the resources to be able to mount those types of responses so I would characterise that Africa has not suffered the worst
of this pandemic so far. The worst of it can be avoided with very, very swift action to support those countries in Africa who really do want to take a comprehensive approach to this disease.
With the many vulnerable people including refugees and migrants who live in those countries it is our responsibility to provide that support but, DG, you may wish to speak about your interactions with the African
Union countries.
00:42:46
MK I’ll answer the question around vaccines. What we can say is that there are a number of vaccines that are in development and vaccines will be tested through clinical trials with all ethical considerations
in place in whichever populations are under study with informed consent, with open and transparent communication. This is of the utmost importance, that not only do we have strong, robust scientific evidence
but we ensure that all of the studies that are done are done with appropriate and the highest level of ethical considerations.
One thing on the first question around Africa is that there are a number of countries in Africa right now which have very few cases and Mike has alluded to this in his earlier response.
Some only have imported cases and there is an opportunity here, this window of opportunity that the DG has spoken about exists in many countries still. There is an opportunity to prevent the worst from happening
in a number of countries across Africa and across countries that are still seeing their first case; in some island countries.
We need to support those governments, those countries, all of the people in those areas to prevent the worst from happening, to prevent these individual cases from becoming clusters, these clusters from becoming community transmission. I think that’s
where we need to put a lot of emphasis and support so that we can prevent countries from reaching a point where they need to put in these very restrictive movement restrictions.
TAG Thank you. Thank you for that question, my brother from Nigeria. On the situation, as Mike said, of course when you see the number of cases the African continent has the lowest number of cases so far but that doesn’t mean that
the situation will not deteriorate. It may.
00:45:06
So Africa should do everything to prevent this situation from getting worse and that’s why African leaders are doing their best. I had a chance to participate in a meeting, a Leaders’ Coalition which was arranged or invited by the current Chairperson
of the African Union, the President of South Africa, President Ramaphoza and many leaders from all corners of the continent have actually participated.
The main agenda is to have a continental strategy and also make sure that that continental strategy helps the national strategy but in addition to a coalition of political leaders or the heads of state and government they have also agreed to have a coalition of business leaders. Business leaders in Africa are also getting together because Africa will need resources and one of the major problems that was identified during the discussion
was especially shortage of equipment starting from medical equipment, PPE and test kits and so on.
The leaders have agreed to look for concrete solutions to address the problem and they also believe that considering the number of cases we have in the continent testing cases, tracing contacts and isolating them, meaning using the comprehensive approach,
will actually help. They believe that lock-downs alone may not help or the physical distancing alone cannot help and they have agreed to do everything to follow the comprehensive approach.
From WHO’s side we have been supporting and we increased, improved the testing capacity in Africa significantly in the past two months and many countries in Africa have now testing capability although we may have a shortage of test kits but
we’re working on that too and we’re finding different ways of addressing the gap.
00:48:06
But we will support the African Union, we will support the Africa CDC and also we will continue working through our WHO regional office in Congo Brazzaville and continue to support and fight the pandemic together.
Then on the vaccines issue there was, I think, a comment last week from a couple of
scientists who said the testing ground for the new vaccines will be Africa. To be honest, I was so appalled and it was a time when I said, when we needed solidarity these kind of racist remarks actually would not help, it goes against the solidarity.
Africa cannot and will not be a testing ground for any vaccine. We will follow all the rules to test any vaccine or therapeutics all over the world using exactly the same rules. Whether it’s
in Europe, Africa or wherever we will use the same protocol and if there is a need to be tested elsewhere to treat human beings the same way, equally.
The hangover from a colonial mentality has to stop — and WHO will not allow this to happen. It was a disgrace actually and appalling to hear during the 21st century from scientists that kind of remark and we condemn
this in the strongest terms possible but we assure you that this will not happen in Africa and will not happen elsewhere, in any country. Proper protocols will be followed and human beings will be treated as human
beings because we’re all human beings.
00:50:37
Then after saying this the vaccine development; we’re addressing two issues and we will be announcing as soon as possible, hopefully during this week, a big initiative to accelerate the research and development and production of vaccines and also
design mechanisms for equitable distribution of the vaccines.
While we’re looking for vaccines, unless we break the barriers to equitable distribution of the products, whether it’s vaccines or therapeutics, we will have a problem, so we need to address the problem ahead of time, we need to address the problem
of access or challenges to access ahead of time.
That’s why we will put together a mechanism and we will appoint senior people from the North and South that will work out the details on how they can accelerate production but at the same time how they can ensure equitable distribution. Solidarity
is very important here. When a vaccine or a medicine is ready we have to be able to deliver it all over the world.
There should not be a divide between the haves and the have-nots.
If we say solidarity, solidarity should be in its full form and I hope each and every individual, each and every human being will go for that kind of solidarity. I thank you.
TJ Thank you, Dr Tedros. We’ll take a couple more questions. We go to Yang from Xinhua news agency. Yang, can you hear us?
00:52:58
YA Can I hear you?
TJ Yes, we can hear you. Please go ahead.
YA As World Health Day is approaching what do you have to say to the front-line medical workers in China and around the world in the global anti-virus efforts? This question is
for Dr Tedros. Thank you.
TJ If we understood well, the question is what is the message to health workers in China and around the world. Maybe you can repeat the question one more time, please.
YA Okay. As World Health Day is approaching what would you say and what message do you want to deliver to the front-line medical workers in China and around the world in the global anti-virus effort?
TAG I think I have said it earlier; as you know, this is the year of the nurse and the midwife, 2020. We were ready to celebrate it in a big way and it was supposed to be the main event in our
Assembly in mid-May. Unfortunately we’re in this situation but we will be launching a report tomorrow which is the first of its kind. It’s a report on the state of nursing. We will launch it tomorrow during the World Health
Day.
00:55:01
But while launching that report, although it’s about nursing, we will celebrate all health workers, midwives, pharmacists, doctors, you name it. I think the world is now seeing the importance and the central role that health workers play. People,
when they’re asked, of course, to choose they would say health first because it’s only when you’re healthy that you can aspire to anything, whether it’s wealth or fame or anything. It doesn’t matter if you’re not healthy.
If you’re not healthy the first thing you ask for is to get back your health and our health workers are making sure that happens and they’re central and very important for any individual. So not only during COVID but during other times too health
professionals are very important because they are safeguarding that very important aspect of life — that’s health.
So we have to celebrate them every day. Of course during COVID we can see to what extent they’re sacrificing. We have lost many of them. They’re dying while saving lives so my message first is to the public at large; that each and every individual
should recognise, whether it’s during normal times or pandemics like now, the role of health professionals and help them, protect them, really appreciate and respect what they are doing.
To the health workers, although especially during this COVID pandemic you’re working in a difficult situation you should know that your work is the most blessed one, your work is something special to the extent of losing your life
while helping others to live. We respect you and appreciate you for that and we also believe in you and that you will do everything to control this pandemic.
00:58:11
But you should know that you have – and the world understands – the most important job. We can see the humility which is coming from some leaders because of this pandemic. I know they’re seeing, starting from their own lives, the whole world through
a different prism and they will also see your role.
But the most important is not the recognition from the public or from leaders but the internal commitment and passion you have and believing that you’re doing the most blessed thing and you have all our respect and appreciation and we believe in
you, that together we will finish this pandemic. All the respect and appreciation we have to you, the greatest respect and appreciation ever. Thank you.
TJ Thank you very much, Dr Tedros. I think this important message will be heard from everyone and we will conclude this press briefing with these important words from Dr Tedros. We will
have an audio file available in the minutes to come and we invite you for our next briefing on Wednesday. Thank you.
TAG [Inaudible] and see you on Wednesday – tomorrow actually for the launch. Yes, see you tomorrow.
01:00:18
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As expected, the Vice Chancellor’s response on the barrage of lies that Babalakin tried to peddle about the suspension of the 51st convocation of the university, elicited anger and rage from a faceless and dishonest ‘Concerned Stakeholders’ and a group of delinquent non-academic staff making scrupulous releases requesting for the Vice Chancellor to proceed on leave, because, for them Babalakin has an intimidating resumé and commands national respect.
A cursory look at the individuals issuing these publications will tell exactly why they have taken such an undistinguished position. Interestingly, they could not use the SSANU platform which they have tried tirelessly in the pass to desecrate. The team is led by Mr Adetomiwa Adekola, who was impeached as SSANU Chairman on account of his financial recklessness and dubious land scheme he purchased for SSANU members. He is assisted by a rag tag, Mr Babatunde Oseni, who the SSANU electoral committee disqualified from contesting election into any SSANU executive position on account of his terrible records of service in the university.
What sort of stakeholders are these? Whose interest do they actually represent? Certainly not the interest of any known group in the university, but that of their paymaster who is hell bent on destroying the university.
Their position is not only laughable but also pedestrian and lacking in any form of logical reasoning. How can anyone contemplate the exit of a Vice-Chancellor who has achieved so much in two years, even under the worst of conditions? Maybe these fellows need a reminding that it was the selflessness and ingenuity of Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe that brought the University of Lagos to number one in Nigeria and eighth in Africa. The university during his Vice Chancellorship has attracted about N8bn in research grants. He created the much needed atmosphere for students to develop their entrepreneurial skills. Under Prof Ogundipe’s watchful eyes, the students and staff have won several international laurels and have become globally relevant. The renaissance of the research culture in the university is largely attributed to the Vice-Chancellor’s zeal to make UNILAG a research-based university. His tenure has given the University more international visibility and global respect. It is not surprising that even Mr Adekola and his cohorts rightly referred to the Vice Chancellor as a “scholar and administrator of repute.” This is particularly so because he singlehandedly won a lot of research grants as a scholar; and to the admiration of many, he has held various key administrative position in his over 30years in the services of the university. On the flip side we have a Pro Chancellor who has done everything in the last three years to give the university bad image and publicity.
Think for one minute, if Prof Ogundipe is the problem, why was Mr Babalakin also at logger heads with Prof Bello? If there is anything we should do at this material time, it is to praise the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ogundipe, who in two years turned the fortune of the university around. Calling for him to take leave is pathetic and signs of the failings of the Pro Chancellor.
On the part of the Registrar, his Council Resolution Part 2 is a very interesting revelation. The reasons are not farfetched. He made a fair but failed attempt to divert the minds of the public away from the issue that made the university a subject of ridicule in the last three weeks – The suspension of the 51st convocation of the university. Mr Babalakin’s grand intention was to show the university management how powerful and highly connected he is by cancelling the convocation at the detriment of over 13,000 graduating students and then turned around to blame the Vice Chancellor and NUC. But the ploy failed woefully. The public saw clearly what went down, at least the letter from the Ministry of Education puts it pretty clear that the event was suspended at the instance of Mr Babalakin who claimed the ceremonies did not receive Council’s blessings.
The alumni and stakeholders who were tired of Babalakin’s repressive leadership style took to the social media to express their dissatisfactions and frustrations. The #saveMyUnilag trended for days on Twitter and Facebook. For many, it was crystal clear what the agenda was – a show of power. As Simon Kolawole succinctly puts it in his write-up, Babalakin the Bully, “…[Babalakin] he has gone too far by his latest power show which has forced Unilag to suspend its convocation…his ego fight at the expense of the graduating students and their families is ungodly.”
Secondly, the Resolution threw up a host of issues which he claimed was discussed at the Council meeting. One of such was the ‘Greek gift’ of 40 Hectares of land at Ogudu being proposed by the Pro Chancellor. First question to ask, is this not the same piece of land in dispute with the state government for many years? Little wonder the property has no title documents or survey. This is aptly validated by the Registrar’s statement that “it was resolved that steps be taken to retrieve the title documents and that Council should be updated” Haba! Now that he could not get contracts from Unilag, Babalakin has resulted to swindling Unilag staff of their meagre salary? It is important to urge Unilag staff to be vigilant and “shine their eyes” on this land matter o!!! Don’t forget the issue of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway contract given to him, he did not do the job, yet collected huge sum of money to even accept to let go of the contract. Not even the road in Ondo State.
Nigeria is yet to know when Babalakin will fully handover MM2 to government as we are not sure if he will not again change the end of concession date as he did previously. Besides, even if they come up with fake papers for the land, the purported land is located in a swampy environment and a professor who earns the highest salary in the university will struggle to put up a foundation for any building there.
Pages 3-6 of the resolution was largely on financial matters. This Council led by Babalakin should be ashamed of its conducts! Throughout last year, the University was on a standstill over allegations that a sum over N4bn was misappropriated, embezzled, squandered, lavished and stolen by the university management. In fact, the song on Babalakin’s lips was “catch am, catch am, thief, thief, thief, catch am, catch am, robber, robber.”
The same Council, led by same Babalakin, in less than a year, is now publishing a resolution that money is no longer missing, albeit, the University Managements (past and present) have saved far too long and too much to the tune of N9bn in the TSA account of the university! Then the Council goes on to propose a lavish spending of the savings meant for the DLI building, School of Foundation Studies building, College of Medicine and School of Postgraduate Studies building. How can you make money saved for more than five years for capital projects available for spending?
Babalakin is definitely set out to destroy the 25-year strategic plan that the Vice Chancellor swore to up hold, in one sweep! Babalakin has not facilitated any building to the university and yet he wants to share the money saved in the university development account by more than three Vice Chancellors to construct educational edifices for the great citadel of learning. Our dear Pro Chancellor needs to take a cue from what his counterpart in Obafemi Awolowo University is doing.
As any right discerning person can already see, Babalakin is trying hard to play the welfare game to divide and rule the staff of the university, further entrenching the acrimony, bad blood, discord and division that he already created in in the university. He is also struggling hard to divert attention away from the convocation issue. This is the biggest shame of leadership.
It is distasteful that the UNILAG Council matter has suddenly become a gutter matter that any individual can pick up on the streets of Lagos. Let us advise Council to stop wasting resources in printing resolutions. The next Council meeting should hold at the Main Bowl of the Sports Centre where all members of the university community, alumni and press can witness the plenary.
For many of us who are watching gleefully, the management of the university must be praised, in spite of all the grandstanding and unnecessary brinkmanship, the university rose to first in Nigeria and eighth in Africa.
No body and no lies can change what we already know, Babalakin cancelled the University of Lagos 51st convocation four days to the event.
On a lighter note or perhaps as a matter of national importance, the Pro Chancellor, Mr Babalakin was alleged to be in London on 11th March for Justice Oguntade’s birthday, he subsequently denied traveling to London but confirmed he was in Germany on medical trip. Whether London or Germany, since hi
Two yet-to-be identified persons are alleged to have died of Coronavirus after attending the lavish and star-studded 80th birthday party of Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, George Adetola Oguntade.
The colourful ceremony, which took place on March 10, 2020, was held at the London Hilton on Park Lane, a posh area of UK’s most popular city – London.
Apart from the two guests alleged to have died of the virus after attending the event, one other attendee is said to be on ventilator at a hospital in London.
One of the two persons that died is said to be related to Dorlapoh Crystals, a popular UK-based business owner whose company customises fashion items.
The development has since raised fears that scores of other attendees at the ceremony could have contracted the deadly virus.
Among prominent Nigerians, who attended the party are billionaire Rasak Okoya and his wife Sade, a former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, Kessington Adebutu (Baba Ijebu), Oba Saheed Elegushi, music icon – Ebenezer Obey, and Dele Momodu.
Many of these high-profile guests have since returned to Nigeria, further raising concerns that some of them may have imported the dreaded virus into the country without knowing.
Coronavirus was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 31 and since that period, there has been 8,077 confirmed infections and 422 deaths.
Therefore, as at the time Oguntade’s birthday was staged in London on March 10, the virus had fully taken up strategic positions across most parts of the UK.
In a recent interview, Momodu, a veteran journalist and Publisher of Ovation International, confirmed attending the party in London but said that he had no symptoms of the pandemic.
Senior airport sources however, told SaharaReporters that many top Nigerians, who arrived in the country from UK and other parts of the world before the ban on international flights into Nigeria was announced, refused to submit themselves for medical screening for the virus.
Already, a number of prominent Nigerians have been confirmed to have contracted the virus.
Video of Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration
Full Video: Justice George Oguntade’s 80th Birthday Celebration
Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, and Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, have all tested positive to the virus while dozens others including state governors, who came in contact with them in recent days have now gone into self-isolation in order to ward off the pandemic.
Nigeria has 46 confirmed cases of Coronavirus so far and one recorded death.
Though government at the federal and state levels have adopted series of measures to curtail the pandemic, there are fears of the virus spreading further in the coming days.
