When and how will WHO issue recommendations concerning public health emergencies of international concern?
Once WHO has determined that a particular event constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, the IHR (2005) require WHO, upon request, to give a ‘real-time’ response to the emergency. Based on the details specific to each emergency, the Director-General of WHO will recommend measures for implementation by the affected State as well as by other States. These time-limited recommendations are made available to States and, subsequently, made public. Depending on the evidence, recommended measures could then later be modified or terminated. The Emergency Committee (see Question 4 above) will advise the Director-General on these recommendations.
