UN / COVID-19 MEASURES

The United Nations in New York and Geneva is to start implementing measures to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for its staff, including telecommuting and flexible working arrangements, the UN spokesperson said today in New York. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:13
• Production Date: 9 March 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: STEPHANE DUJARRIC
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
• MAMS Id: 2539174
• Parent Id: 2539174
• Alternate Title: unifeed200309c

Description

STORY: UN / COVID-19 MEASURES
TRT: 1:13
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 9 MARCH 2020, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE

1. Exterior shot, UN Headquarters

9 MARCH 2020, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press room
3. Wide shot, spokesperson going to podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:
“Following internal meetings over the weekend, taking into account the declaration of a state of emergency for New York State, it was announced today to all staff that it is recommended that UN personnel who have recently returned from countries identified by the host country should remain at home and self-monitor for 14 days. Telecommuting and flexible work arrangements have also been recommended for UN personnel taking into account business continuity requirements.”
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General:
“The UN in Geneva aims to maintain essential activities while postponing or cancelling other activities. The Palais des nations is also considering how to put the latest recommendations on telecommuting issued by the Swiss authorities into practice.”
7. Cutaway, delegates

Storyline

The United Nations in New York and Geneva is to start implementing measures to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for its staff, including telecommuting and flexible working arrangements, the UN spokesperson said today in New York.

“Following internal meetings over the weekend, taking into account the declaration of a state of emergency for New York State, it was announced today to all staff that it is recommended that UN personnel who have recently returned from countries identified by the host country should remain at home and self-monitor for 14 days,” United Nations Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday (9 Mar).

“Telecommuting and flexible work arrangements have also been recommended for UN personnel taking into account business continuity requirements,” he added

At the same time, Dujarric said, “the UN in Geneva aims to maintain essential activities while postponing or cancelling other activities. The Palais des nations is also considering how to put the latest recommendations on telecommuting issued by the Swiss authorities into practice.”

The spokesperson reported that over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the global number of confirmed cases now topped 100,000.

WHO pointed out that some countries are demonstrating that the spread of the virus can be slowed and its impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, and following up on contacts.