House of Representatives releases final report on pandemic management: ‘WHO failed’

The House Oversight and Accountability Committee released the final report of its panel dedicated to the covid-19 pandemic on Monday, after two years of exhaustive investigation, which indicates that the response of the World Health Organization (WHO) to the pandemic "was a resounding failure." The more than 500-page report provides a detailed analysis of the rights and wrongs in the management of the global health crisis, as well as providing key recommendations for improving the response to future pandemics.

The report, released ahead of a hearing scheduled for this week, includes five points of bipartisan consensus and seven key findings on various aspects of pandemic management.

Major themes of the report

The document addresses controversial issues such as the origins of the virus, research funding at the Wuhan laboratory in China, and mitigation measures implemented in the United States. Highlights include:

1. The origins of covid-19: According to the report, leakage of the virus at the Wuhan lab is the "most likely" scenario.

2. US funding: US funding for Wuhan research was discussed, underlining the need for greater oversight in international collaborations.

3. Use of masks and confinements: Measures taken to curb the spread of the virus, such as the use of masks and confinements, generated intense debate about their effectiveness. The report suggests that prolonged confinements caused significant economic and mental health damage in the US population. It further concludes that there was inconclusive evidence that the facemasks effectively protected the covid-19 population.

4. Vaccine development: The committee recognized Operation Warp Speed as a crucial achievement, but also identified areas for improvement in the distribution of vaccines and in public communication about their safety and efficacy.

Evaluations of Trump and Biden's management

The report evaluates the policies adopted by the administrations of Donald Trump and Joe Biden. It highlights as a success the travel restrictions imposed by Trump at the onset of the pandemic, which probably contributed to slowing the spread of the virus. However, measures taken by the Biden Administration are criticized, particularly in relation to the use of "undemocratic" methods to deal with alleged disinformation on social media. In addition, it is noted that the FDA may have rushed approval of the covid-19 vaccine to meet deadlines set by the Biden Administration.

Lessons learned and recommendations

Committee chairman Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes made. "A future pandemic requires a whole of America response managed by those without personal benefit or bias. We can always do better, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, we must," he said in a letter attached to the report.

Pending hearing

This week, a hearing is expected where experts, officials and lawmakers will debate the conclusions of the report and discuss how to implement the recommendations. The session could reignite the debate on pandemic management and the role of public institutions during the health crisis.