AP/TIME: Don’t Hug Anybody Over the Holiday Season, the World Health Organization Says
“The World Health Organization has an unwelcome but potentially life-saving message for the holiday season: Don’t hug. To stop the spread of the coronavirus, WHO’s emergencies chief said Monday that the ‘shocking’ rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths, particularly in the U.S., means that people shouldn’t get too close to their loved ones this year…” (Keaten, 12/7).

The Guardian: WHO looks at giving Covid-19 to healthy people to speed up vaccine trials
“The World Health Organization is holding discussions on Monday about the feasibility of trials in which healthy young volunteers are deliberately infected with coronavirus to hasten vaccine development — amid questions over whether they should go ahead given the promising data from the frontrunner vaccine candidates…” (Grover, 12/7).

Reuters: WHO does not envisage COVID-19 vaccines being made mandatory
“The World Health Organization does not foresee mandatory vaccinations being introduced around the world to stem the spread of the coronavirus, officials said on Monday…” (Farge/Revill, 12/7).

U.N. News: Prioritize health workers, at-risk groups, for COVID-19 vaccines: WHO chief
“As countries plan to roll out COVID-19 vaccines in the coming days, weeks, and months, health workers and other at-risk populations should be prioritized for vaccination, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. … The recommendations are based on the so-called Values Framework and Population Prioritization Roadmap, issued by a WHO advisory group on immunization…” (12/7).