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<br />APPENDIX <br />Prescriptions for a healthy and green recovery from COVID-19 <br />(excerpted from “WHO Manifesto for a Healthy Recovery from <br />COVID-19”) <br />26 May 2020 <br />https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-manifesto-for-a-healthy-recovery-from-covid-19. <br /> <br />1) Protect and preserve the source of human health: Nature. <br />Economies are a product of healthy human societies, which in turn rely on the natural <br />environment - the original source of all clean air, water, and food. Human pressures, from <br />deforestation, to intensive and polluting agricultural practices, to unsafe management and <br />consumption of wildlife, undermine these services. They also increase the risk of emerging <br />infectious diseases in humans – over 60% of which originate from animals, mainly from <br />wildlife. Overall plans for post-COVID-19 recovery, and specifically plans to reduce the risk of <br />future epidemics, need to go further upstream than early detection and control of disease <br />outbreaks. They also need to lessen our impact on the environment, so as to reduce the risk at <br />source. <br />2) Invest in essential services, from water and sanitation to clean energy in <br />healthcare facilities. <br />Around the world, billions of people lack access to the most basic services that are required to <br />protect their health, whether from COVID-19, or any other risk. Handwashing facilities are <br />essential for the prevention of infectious disease transmission, but are lacking in 40 % of <br />households. Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens are widespread in water and waste and their sound <br />management is needed to prevent the spread back to humans. In particular it is essential that <br />health care facilities be equipped with water and sanitation services, including the soap and water <br />that constitutes the most basic intervention to cut transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other <br />infections, access to reliable energy that is necessary to safely carry out most medical <br />procedures, and occupational protection for health workers. <br />Overall, avoidable environmental and occupational risks cause about one quarter of all deaths in <br />the world. Investment in healthier environments for health protection, environmental regulation, <br />and ensuring that health systems are climate resilient, is both an essential guardrail against future <br />disaster, and offers some of the best returns for society. For example, every dollar that was <br />invested in strengthening the US Clean Air Act has paid back 30 dollars in benefit to US citizens, <br />through improved air quality and better health. <br />5