WHO/Europe launches weekly online media briefings on COVID-19 with a special themed focus every week
This week’s special focus: Supporting mental and psychological health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic
As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is felt across the entire European Region, the need for a reliable source of news, guidance and advice to counter misinformation cannot be emphasized enough.
On Thursday, 26 March 2020, WHO/Europe will hold the first in a new series of weekly online media briefings to keep journalists and broadcasters across the European Region up to date with the latest news and developments in the global effort to beat the virus.
At each weekly briefing, Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and emergency experts will offer a COVID-19 update, provide a short briefing on a specific theme and take journalists’ questions.
This week’s theme will focus on supporting mental and psychological health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. This acknowledges that concerns and uncertainties as well as physical distancing measures being imposed across many European countries at this time of crisis can affect people’s mental health and well-being.
The experts will brief the press on psychosocial guidance, support and care for the general population and specific affected groups such as frontline workers, children and older people, as well for as people affected by stress, anxiety disorders, depression or bereavement.
DETAILS OF THE PRESS BRIEFING:
Date: Thursday, 26 March 2020
Time: 11:00 AM (CET)
Speakers:
• Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
• Members of the WHO emergency response team
To take part:
Dear Journalists,
The press briefing will be broadcast live on the WHO/Europe Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/WHOEurope/
We invite you to submit your questions on the week’s specific theme or other COVID‑19-related issues in advance via email to negruL@who.int by 18:00 (CET) on Wednesday, 25 March 2020.
We cannot guarantee to answer every question submitted individually, but will undertake to review all your queries in advance to identify the major themes and lines of questioning that are emerging. We will also try to make time for additional / supplementary questions you may have during the briefing, which you can send via the above email address.
Our objective is to make these briefings as useful as possible for all media representatives, and we therefore encourage you to share with us your suggestions on how to improve them in the future.
Press contact:
Liuba Negru, Tel: +45 20 45 92 74, Email: negruL@who.int