NİFMUN24 Study Guide: World Health
Organization (WHO) Committee
Letter from Director General:
Welcome, my school friends. I am Halil İbrahim Özhancı welcome
to NİFMUN24 unofficial MUN conference. We are honored to have
you here. The first movement to NİFMUN has been made and you
are a big part of it. The delegates aka you are the ones who will
take this tradition and improve it as perfectly as possible.
NİFMUN24 makes us excited and happy. To be part of a tradition is
flattering. But to start a beautiful tradition is unexplainable. I want to
continue with an appreciation to all my friends my teachers and
every single person who has helped and put a big effort into this
work. In this unofficial MUN, you will get the basics of the MUN and
how to be a notable delegate. Wearing official uniforms and
speaking to high-value individuals from any grade will improve your
social skills and general knowledge. You might wonder how many
MUNs took me to organize NİFMUN24 just 2. My point is not to
brag instead it is to show that if you want to be helpful to others you
should take action immediately. Again I want to thank everybody for
helping out and all the delegates who are participating. I wish you a
pleasant and joyful NİFMUN24. I want to finish my letter with a
quote. The best of humans are those who are most beneficial to
others.” Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him).
Sincerely
Director General (Halil İbrahim Özhancı)
Letter from Chair
Dear Delegates,
My name is Meryem Begüm Uğur, and i will be serving you as
your president-chair for these 2 days. I currently study at Bursa
Anatolian Highschool as 11 grade student. I extend a warm and
enthusiastic welcome to each and every one of you joining us
for this amazing experience!
As we embark on this extraordinary journey of diplomacy,
collaboration, and spirited debate, we are thrilled to witness the
diverse perspectives and innovative solutions that will
undoubtedly emerge during our conference. Your presence
adds immeasurable value to this gathering, and we are
confident that your passion and commitment will contribute to
the success of our committee
Throughout the sessions, let’s embrace the spirit of diplomacy,
foster meaningful connections, and collectively strive for
resolutions that make a positive impact on our global
community. The energy and intellect you bring to the committee
will undoubtedly make NİFMUN24 an unforgettable experience
for everyone involved.
Get ready for an incredible adventure filled with insightful
discussions, collaboration, and perhaps a few surprises along
the way. As your chairboard, i am here to support, guide, and
ensure that each moment of this experience is enriching and
memorable.
Once again, welcome to WHO – let the diplomatic journey
begin!
Warm regards,
Meryem Begum Ugur
President-Chair,
Topic: COVID-19 Pandemic
Introduction to the Topic:
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus
(SARS-CoV-2), has profoundly impacted global health,
economies, societies, and politics since its emergence in late
2019. Understanding the multifaceted implications of the
pandemic is crucial for effective policymaking and international
cooperation.
How do viruses and diseases occur?
Viruses come from animals to humans. Viruses need live
organisms like humans to live. Viruses take advantage of
humans to create a proper environment for them to live in. The
reason why humans get sick from viruses is viruses take over
the human cells and control them. Most of the viruses spread
because of unhygienic life conditions. As the world has seen in
the Bubonic Plague the unhygienic conditions caused the virus
to spread from mice to people. As a consequence, an
estimated 25-50 million died wiping more than half of the
Europe population. As to look at the COVID-19 virus that has
occurred because of the similar reasons of the bubonic plague
it became a danger for millions of people worldwide. The
COVID-19 virus and its many different variants that turned into
more dangerous viruses spread uncontrollably and became the
reason for almost 7 million deaths worldwide to this day. Their
immense speed of accommodating to the changing conditions
resulted in the virus spreading by respiration which made the
pandemic a more critical issue.
The effects of pandemics on the world
1. Economic Impacts:
Global Recession: The pandemic triggered a significant
economic downturn, causing recessions in many countries due
to widespread lockdowns and disruptions to businesses.
Unemployment: Job losses and reduced income have been
widespread, particularly in sectors heavily affected by lockdown
measures such as tourism, hospitality, and retail.
Supply Chain Disruptions: Border closures and restrictions on
movement have disrupted global supply chains, leading to
shortages of essential goods and services.
Government Spending: Governments worldwide implemented
stimulus packages and economic relief measures to mitigate
the economic impact of the pandemic, leading to increased
public debt.
2. Social Impacts:
Healthcare Systems: Healthcare systems faced immense strain
due to the influx of COVID-19 patients, leading to overwhelmed
hospitals, shortages of medical supplies, and healthcare worker
burnout.
Education Disruption: School closures and shifts to online
learning have disrupted education systems globally,
exacerbating educational inequalities and posing challenges for
students, teachers, and parents.
Mental Health: Isolation, fear, and uncertainty during the
pandemic have contributed to a rise in mental health issues
such as anxiety, depression, and suicide.
Inequities: The pandemic has disproportionately affected
vulnerable populations, including low-income communities,
minorities, and migrants, exacerbating existing social
inequalities.
3. Political Impacts:
Government Response: The pandemic has tested the
effectiveness of governments' crisis management and public
health policies, leading to varying degrees of success and
criticism.
International Cooperation: The response to the pandemic
highlighted the importance of international cooperation and
solidarity, as countries collaborated on vaccine development,
sharing medical resources, and implementing travel
restrictions.
Misinformation and Disinformation: The spread of
misinformation and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 has
undermined public trust in governments, institutions, and
scientific expertise.
Erosion of Civil Liberties: Emergency measures implemented to
curb the spread of the virus, such as lockdowns and
surveillance measures, raised concerns about the erosion of
civil liberties and human rights.
Deaths due to COVID-19: Deaths of high-profile government
officials can impact public perception of the government's
handling of the pandemic. If the official was seen as competent
or popular, their death might highlight the severity of the
situation and erode trust in the government's response.
Depending on the political context, the death of a government
official could lead to blame being assigned to specific
individuals or parties, potentially impacting electoral outcomes
or political alliances.
High-profile deaths have undoubtedly played a role in shaping
public opinion and political dynamics during the pandemic.
Solutions and Mitigation Strategies:
1. Strengthening Healthcare Systems:
Investing in healthcare infrastructure, including hospital
capacity, medical equipment, and healthcare workforce
training.
Enhancing surveillance and early warning systems to detect
and respond to future outbreaks promptly.
Promoting research and development in diagnostics,
treatments, and vaccines for emerging infectious diseases.
2. Economic Recovery and Resilience:
Implementing targeted fiscal stimulus measures to support
businesses, workers, and vulnerable populations affected by
the pandemic.
Investing in job creation programs, workforce training, and
economic diversification to rebuild economies post-pandemic.
Strengthening social safety nets and healthcare systems to
ensure resilience against future economic shocks.
3. Social Support and Well-being:
Prioritizing mental health services and psychosocial support for
individuals and communities affected by the pandemic.
Promoting social cohesion and community engagement to
address social isolation and promote resilience.
Implementing policies to reduce inequalities in access to
healthcare, education, and social services.
4. International Cooperation and Solidarity:
Facilitating equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines,
treatments, and medical supplies through global partnerships
and initiatives.
Strengthening international health regulations and frameworks
for pandemic preparedness and response.
Supporting low- and middle-income countries in building
resilient healthcare systems and addressing socio-economic
impacts of the pandemic.
5. Combating Misinformation and Disinformation:
Promoting science-based public health messaging and
combating misinformation through education and
communication campaigns.
Strengthening media literacy and critical thinking skills to
empower individuals to identify and reject false information.
Collaborating with social media platforms and technology
companies to curb the spread of misinformation online.
Post-Pandemic Recovery: Rebuilding After COVID-19
After the COVID-19 pandemic, countries are focusing on
recovery. This means finding ways to get back on track and
make things better.
Economically, countries are working on creating jobs and
helping businesses that suffered during the pandemic. They're
also trying to spend money in smart ways to help the economy
grow again.
Socially, countries are helping people who struggled during the
pandemic, like those who lost jobs or felt lonely. They're also
trying to make sure everyone has access to good education
and healthcare.
Healthcare systems are being improved to be ready for any
future health problems. This includes making hospitals better
and giving more people access to healthcare.
Countries are also working together to share ideas and help
each other. This includes making sure everyone gets vaccines
and medical help when they need it.
Recovery after the pandemic is a chance to make things better
for everyone. By working together and helping each other, we
can build a stronger and fairer world
Countries Position
China
The COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China is part of the
worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2). China was the first country to experience an
outbreak of the disease, the first to impose drastic measures in
response, and one of the first countries to bring the outbreak
under control.
Until late 2022, the Chinese government response included a
zero-COVID strategy, also known as COVID-Zero and "Find,
Test, Trace, Isolate, and Support" (FTTIS), which aims to
eliminate transmission of the virus within the country and allow
resumption of normal economic and social activity. The strategy
was utilized to varying degrees by Australia, Canada, New
Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Vietnam and more;
with the main one being China.
In contrast to the living with COVID-19 strategy, in which the
community is able to function more normally and disruptions to
society and community are minimized, the zero-COVID strategy
was one "of control and maximum suppression". It involved
using public health measures such as contact tracing, mass
testing, border quarantine, lockdowns, and mitigation software
in order to stop community transmission of COVID-19 as soon
as it was detected. The goal of the strategy was to get the area
back to zero new infections and resume normal economic and
social activities.
A zero-COVID strategy consisted of two phases: an initial
suppression phase in which the virus is eliminated locally using
aggressive public health measures, and a sustained
containment phase, in which normal economic and social
activities resume and public health measures are used to
contain new outbreaks before they spread widely.
By late 2020, China's economy continued to broaden recovery
from the recession during the pandemic, with stable job
creation and record international trade growth, although retail
consumption was still slower than predicted.
China also had an important role in taking control of the
pandemic by developing CoronaVac, also known as the
Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, which is a whole inactivated virus
COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Chinese company
Sinovac Biotech. It was phase III clinically trialed in Brazil,
Chile, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Turkey and relies on
traditional technology similar to other inactivated-virus COVID-
19 vaccines.
On June 1, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO)
validated the vaccine for emergency use. Sinovac has signed
purchase agreements for 380 million doses from COVAX. As of
July 2021, CoronaVac was the most widely used COVID-19
vaccine in the world, with 943 million doses delivered.
USA
In the United States, the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in 103,436,829
confirmed cases with 1,165,780 all-time deaths, the most of
any country, and the 20th-highest per capita worldwide. The
COVID-19 pandemic ranks first on the list of disasters in the
United States by death toll; it was the third-leading cause of
death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer.
From 2019 to 2020, U.S. life expectancy dropped by 3 years for
Hispanic and Latino Americans, 2.9 years for African
Americans, and 1.2 years for white Americans. These effects
persisted as U.S. deaths due to COVID-19 in 2021 exceeded
those in 2020, and life expectancy continued to fall from 2020
to 2021. The first known American deaths occurred in
February. On March 6, 2020, Trump allocated $8.3 billion to
fight the outbreak and declared a national emergency on March
13. The government also purchased large quantities of medical
equipment, invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950 to
assist. By mid-April, disaster declarations were made by all
states and territories as they all had increasing cases. A
second wave of infections began in June, following relaxed
restrictions in several states, leading to daily cases surpassing
60,000. By mid-October, a third surge of cases began; there
were over 200,000 new daily cases during parts of December
2020 and January 2021.
A fourth rise in infections began in March 2021 amidst the rise
of the Alpha variant, a more easily transmissible variant first
detected in the United Kingdom. That was followed by a rise of
the Delta variant, an even more infectious mutation first
detected in India, leading to increased efforts to ensure safety.
The January 2022 emergence of the Omicron variant, which
was first discovered in South Africa, has led to record highs in
hospitalizations and cases, with as many as 1.5 million new
infections reported in a single day.By the end of 2022, an
estimated 77.5% of Americans had had COVID-19 at least
once, according to the CDC.
Germany
Germany weathered the first wave of infections quite well. The
public largely observed the requirement to wear masks.
However, this positive outlook changed somewhat over time
and new challenges came to light: One major aspect was the
lack of digitalization. Germany further missed out on involving
its military more efficiently. In contrast, Germany fared well
throughout the pandemic by including scientists in political
decision-making. The World Health Organization (WHO) listed
the Comirnaty COVID-19 mRNA vaccine for emergency use on
31 December 2020, making the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine the
first to receive emergency validation from WHO since the
outbreak began a year ago. The Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19
vaccine, sold under the brand name Comirnaty, is an mRNA-
based COVID-19 vaccine developed by the German
biotechnology company BioNTech. The Pfizer–BioNTech
COVID-19 vaccine is used to provide protection against COVID-
19, caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, by eliciting
an immune response to the S antigen.
Russia
The virus was confirmed to have spread to Russia on 31
January 2020, when two Chinese citizens in Tyumen (Siberia)
and Chita (Russian Far East) tested positive for the virus, with
both cases being contained. Early prevention measures
included restricting the China–Russia border and extensive
testing. The infection spread from Italy on 2 March, leading to
additional measures such as canceling events, closing schools,
theaters, and museums, as well as shutting the border and
declaring a non-working period which, after two extensions,
lasted until 11 May 2020.
Russia has the tenth-highest number of confirmed cases in the
world, after the United States, India, France, Brazil, Germany,
South Korea, the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan.
Analysis of excess deaths from official government
demographic statistics, based on births and deaths and
excluding migration, showed that Russia had its biggest ever
annual population drop in peacetime.
Russian Defense Ministry has hard proof US conducted pre-
pandemic Coronavirus research, reports TASS. “Russia’s
senior military official noted that the US medical
establishment’s preparedness for the COVID outbreak points to
an alleged deal between ‘various U.S. government agencies
and so-called Big Pharma’”
India
The COVID-19 pandemic in India is a part of the worldwide
pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-
2). A second wave beginning in March 2021 was much more
devastating than the first, with shortages of vaccines, hospital
beds, oxygen cylinders and other medical supplies in parts of
the country. By late April, India led the world in new and active
cases. On 30 April 2021, it became the first country to report
over 400,000 new cases in a 24-hour period. Experts stated
that the virus may reach an endemic stage in India rather than
completely disappear; in late August 2021, Soumya
Swaminathan said India may be in some stage of endemicity
where the country learns to live with the virus.
India began its vaccination programme on 16 January 2021
with the AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield) and the indigenous
Covaxin. Later, Sputnik V and the Moderna vaccine were
approved for emergency use too. On 30 January 2022, India
announced that it administered about 1.7 billion doses of
vaccines and more than 720 million people were fully
vaccinated.
Brazil
On March 17, 2020, the first death from COVID-19 was
reported. As of 03 February 2024, Brazil, with 37,519,960
confirmed cases and 702,116 deaths, has the third-highest
number of confirmed cases and second-highest death toll from
COVID-19 in the world, behind only those of the United States
and of India.The virus was confirmed to have spread to Brazil
on 25 February 2020. March and April 2021 were the most
critical months, reaching 533,024 confirmed cases in the third
week of March and 21,094 deaths in the fourth week of March.
On January 17, 2021, Brazil started vaccinating the population.
Vaccines began to be applied to priority groups, which include
health professionals, institutionalized elderly people over 60
years of age, and the indigenous population living in villages.
The initial expectation was that all 213 million Brazilians would
receive two doses of the vaccine by the end of 2021. According
to the Brazilian government, up until November 5 2021,
161.945.574 (76.2%) Brazilians received the first dose of the
vaccine, and 122.793.648 (57.8%) received two immunizing
doses. In 2022, a third dose is being applied, and the fourth
dose has started to be applied to elderly people and health care
professionals. As of June 3 2022, 184.018.923 (86.6%) of the
population had received at least one dose, and 166.365.243
(78.3%) were fully vaccinated.
Turkey
According to WHO; Türkiye has had 17.004.677 confirmed
cases and 101.419 confirmed deaths during the Covid-19
pandemic. A total of 162,743,369 tests have been performed to
date.Türkiye developed the Turkovac vaccine for Covid 19;
which was approved for emergency use on 22 December by
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The epidemic caused
radical decisions to be taken in Türkiye, which caused many
important effects and consequences in the social, economic,
political, economic, administrative, legal, military, religious and
cultural fields. While education was suspended in primary,
secondary and high schools in the country, spring semester
courses were canceled and exams were postponed in all
universities. The Presidency of Religious Affairs announced
that congregational prayers in mosques and masjids, especially
Friday prayers, were suspended. All restaurants, cafes,
museums, private teaching institutions, courses, shopping
malls , hotels; barbers, hairdressers and beauty centers;
coffeehouses, gyms, concert venues, nightclubs, association
halls and wedding/engagement halls were temporarily closed.
All citizens were prohibited from having picnics and barbecues
in forests, parks and gardens. All football leagues in the country
have been postponed and all sports competitions have been
canceled until further notice. The Ministry of National Defense
announced that all summoning, transfer and discharge
procedures in military barracks have been postponed for one
month. Approximately 90 thousand prisoners and detainees
began to be released after the law foreseeing execution
reductions, which aims to reduce the occupancy in prisons due
to the risk of the epidemic spreading to prisons and possible
disruption of public order, was adopted by the parliament. In the
amnesty law; Terrorism, murder, drug, and sexual crimes were
excluded from the scope. The Council of Judges and
Prosecutors announced that all hearings, negotiations and
discovery cases, except for detainees and urgent matters and
statute of limitations cases, have been suspended until June
15. All airline companies, especially Turkish Airlines,
announced that they have terminated all international and
domestic flights until further notice. The obligation to use masks
in public areas such as markets and markets has been put into
effect. Intercity travels were subject to governor's permission
and sparse seating arrangements were introduced in public
transportation vehicles. Hundreds of settlements, villages and
towns were quarantined within the scope of COVID-19
measures.
The government first imposed a curfew on people aged 65 and
over to reduce the spread of the epidemic and maintain social
distance between people. The government later expanded this
restriction to include children and young people aged 20 and
under. The public was urged not to travel outside the country
and not to leave home unless necessary.
Guiding Questions for the Delegates
How can your country work with others to boost global
healthcare amid COVID-19?
What actions has your country taken to tackle healthcare
worker shortages and secure enough medical supplies during
the pandemic?
How can your country help enhance healthcare access for
vulnerable groups locally and globally?
What economic steps has your country taken to help
businesses and workers during the pandemic?
How can your country work with global financial institutions and
other nations to aid in global economic recovery?
What measures is your country implementing to tackle
pandemic-worsened inequalities, especially in education and
healthcare access?
What is your country doing about mental health challenges
from the pandemic, and how can it do better?
How can your country team up with local communities to boost
togetherness and strength during the pandemic's social
impacts?
How is your country ensuring that everyone, including those
often left out, gets fair access to education and healthcare?
How can your country help ensure fair access to COVID-19
vaccines, treatments, and medical supplies worldwide?
How can your country work with other nations to improve global
health rules and get ready for future pandemics better?
What ways can your country help countries share information
and cooperate during health crises?
How is your country fighting misinformation and spreading
science-based health messages to stop false information?
What partnerships can your country form with social media and
tech firms to tackle false information online?
How can your country improve education and media literacy to
help people tell reliable information from misinformation?
Conclusion:
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges
to the global community, requiring coordinated and innovative
responses across sectors and borders. As delegates of the
World Health Organization, it is imperative to prioritize
collective action and cooperation in addressing the multifaceted
impacts of the pandemic. By implementing comprehensive
solutions and mitigation strategies, we can build a more
resilient and equitable world in the post-pandemic era.
Bibliography:
https://tr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anasayfa
https://tass.com/politics/1719175
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-COVID
https://americangerman.institute/2022/03/the-german-approach-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Germany#Infection_Protection_Act
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoronaVac
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pfizer%E2%80%93BioNTech_COVID-19_vaccine
https://www.who.int/news/item/31-12-2020-who-issues-its-first-emergency-use-validation-for-a-
covid-19-vaccine-and-emphasizes-need-for-equitable-global-accessv
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Italy#Impact
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Brazil#
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9445630/
https://www.who.int/
