WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reminded the world of six essential criteria that WHO argues need to be met before lifting restrictions:
1. countries must have strong surveillance, declining cases, and controlled transmission;
2. the health system must have the capacity to detect, isolate, test and treat every COVID-19 case and contacts;
3. outbreak risks must be minimised in special settings such as health facilities and aged care;
4. essential venues such as schools must have preventive measures in place.
5. the risks of importing the virus must be managed;
6. communities must be fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to “the new norm”.
“The risk of returning to lockdown remains very real if countries do not manage the transition extremely carefully and in a phased approach,”

Dr Lachlan Soper