Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) technical guidance by WHO COVID-19: preparedness, readiness and actions

Critical preparedness, readiness and
response actions for COVID-19.
Interim guidance
19 March 2020
Scenarios
This document is an update to the interim guidance document
entitled ‘Critical preparedness, readiness and response
actions for COVID-19.’ This version provides updated links
to WHO guidance materials and provides the full list of
WHO technical guidance available for COVID-19.
WHO has defined four transmission scenarios for COVID-19:
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2.
Background
3.
Several countries have demonstrated that COVID-19
transmission from one person to another can be slowed or
stopped. These actions have saved lives and have provided
the rest of the world with more time to prepare for the arrival
of COVID-19: to ready emergency response systems; to
increase capacity to detect and care for patients; to ensure
hospitals have the space, supplies, and necessary personnel;
and to develop life-saving medical interventions. Every
country should urgently take all necessary measures to slow
further spread and to avoid their health systems becoming
overwhelmed as a result of seriously ill patients with
COVID-19.
4.
Countries could experience one or more of these scenarios at
the sub-national level and should adjust and tailor their
approach to the local context.
Countries should prepare to respond to all transmission
scenarios, following the framework laid out in the Strategic
Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19.
Prioritization and focus of resources for each technical area
will depend on which transmission scenario(s) a country is
managing.
The Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for
COVID-19 aims to:
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Countries with no cases (No Cases);
Countries with 1 or more cases, imported or locally
detected (Sporadic Cases);
Countries experiencing cases clusters in time,
geographic location, or common exposure (Clusters
of cases);
Countries experiencing larger outbreaks of local
transmission (Community transmission).
Slow and stop transmission, prevent outbreaks, and delay
spread.
Provide optimized care for all patients, especially the
seriously ill.
Minimize the impact of the epidemic on health systems,
social services, and economic activity.
COVID-19 is a new disease that is distinct from other SARS,
MERS, and influenza. Although coronavirus and influenza
infections may present with similar symptoms, the virus
responsible for COVID-19 is different with respect to
community spread and severity. There is still much to
discover about the disease and its impact in different contexts.
Preparedness, readiness, and response actions will continue
to be driven by rapidly accumulating scientific and public
health knowledge.
All countries should increase their level of preparedness, alert
and response to identify, manage, and care for new cases of
COVID-19. Countries should prepare to respond to different
public health scenarios, recognizing that there is no one-size-
fits-all approach to managing cases and outbreaks of
COVID-19. Each country should assess its risk and rapidly
implement the necessary measures at the appropriate scale to
reduce both COVID-19 transmission and economic, public
and social impacts.
The Table describes the preparedness, readiness and response
actions for COVID-19 for each transmission scenario.
Hyperlinks to WHO Technical Guidance are provided.
All technical guidance for WHO can be found on the
WHO website.
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