OREANDA-NEWS. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on states to no longer introduce quarantines due to the new coronavirus infection.

The organization’s chief epidemiologist, Maria Van Kerkhove, said that wearing masks and maintaining social distance would be sufficient measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to her, the economic consequences of quarantine do not outweigh the medical benefits.

According to WHO experts, due to restrictions, doctors overlooked patients with strokes, cancerous tumours and heart attacks. Thus, quarantine could provoke and exacerbate some diseases.

Besides, the closure of schools was called a “generational catastrophe,” which does not give any positive result.

On August 1, the WHO Emergency Committee confirmed that the coronavirus pandemic remains to be an emergency of international concern. According to the organization, it will last for a long time.