WHO chief says China’s zero-Covid policy not ‘sustainable’

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 10, 2022, that China’s zero-tolerance Covid-19 policy is not sustainable given what is now known of the virus. It was a rare public comment by the UN agency on a government’s handling of the pandemic. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said increased knowledge about the virus and better tools to combat it also suggested it was time for a change of strategy. Mike Ryan, the head of the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said China’s actions should show due respect to individual and human rights. China’s zero-Covid policy has led to lockdowns of millions of people, drawing criticism ranging from scientists to its own citizens. Most other nations that shared its approach initially have now at least begun transitioning to strategies to live with the virus.