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WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

The Claim

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

Authoritative evidence confirms the date and substance of the announcement. On March 11, 2020, WHO’s Director-General said COVID-19 could be characterized as a pandemic, an announcement widely and accurately summarized as WHO declaring a pandemic. “Declared” is colloquial rather than the title of a formal legal designation.

Caveats

  • WHO’s exact wording was “can be characterized as a pandemic,” rather than a formal legal declaration.
  • The pandemic characterization was distinct from WHO’s January 30, 2020 declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The Receipts

  1. CDC Museum COVID-19 Timeline

    cdc.gov

  2. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media ...

    who.int

  3. Current situation of COVID-19 in northern Cyprus - IRIS

    iris.who.int

  4. Archived: WHO Timeline - COVID-19

    who.int

  5. WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic - PMC - NIH

    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

  6. The WHO declares COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of ...

    pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

  7. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic

    who.int

  8. World Health Organization Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic | Time

    time.com

  9. Timeline of WHO's Response to COVID-19 - PAHO/WHO

    paho.org

  10. WHO chief declares end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency

    news.un.org

+ 6 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

COVID-19World Health Organization

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