By Bill Chappell
https://www.npr.org/people/14562108/bill-chappell
Using the COVID-19 pandemic to score political points is dangerous and will only cause more deaths, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday, after President Trump criticized the WHO and its relationship with China. Tedros also revealed that in recent months, other criticisms of him have included death threats.
"Please don't politicize this virus," Tedros said in a briefing in Geneva, after he was asked about Trump's remarks. He later urged political leaders to "please quarantine politicizing COVID."
"The focus of all political parties should be to save their people," Tedros said. He added that politicizing the virus only exploits differences at the national level.
"If you want to be exploited and if you want to have many more bodybags, then you [politicize the virus]," the WHO leader said. "If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicizing it."
The remarks came one day after President Trump sharply criticized the WHO and suggested he might put a hold on U.S. funding — the largest single source of money for the health organization.
Tedros did not refer to Trump by name as he stressed the importance of confronting COVID-19 as a common enemy. And he stated several times that he does not mind being targeted by personal attacks. Everyone's focus, he said, should remain on the coronavirus, not political or international rivalries.
"The unity of your country will be very important to defeat this dangerous virus," Tedros said. Without unity, he added, even countries with advanced health care systems "will be in trouble, and more crisis."
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/08/829944795/please-don-t-politicize-this-virus-who-head-says-after-trump-threatens-funding