Table 1.

Strategic preparedness and response guide.

WHO pillars	Actions
1: Coordination, Planning, Financing, and Monitoring	Foundation for operational alignment throughout all pillars that allows for real-time actions and corrections for decision-making at a country, city, and community level.
2: Risk Communication, Community Engagement, and Infodemic Management	Listening to whole communities and addressing health service barriers play a role in mitigating the impact of COVID-19.
3: Surveillance, Epidemiological Investigation, Contact Tracing, and Adjustment of Public Health and Social Measures	Increasing testing capacities with efficient diagnostic equipment is imperative to stop the spread, along with sustained quarantine efforts and case investigation.
4: Points of Entry, International Travel and Transport, and Mass Gatherings	Risk mitigation is key, and action includes but is not limited to self-monitoring, and surveillance at entry points with case-to-case management.
5: Laboratories and Diagnostics	Investigations can only commence after testing has been conducted. Cost-effective strategies should be put in place to detect variants of concern through screening, sequencing, and sharing pertinent data amongst nations.
6: Infection Prevention and Control, and Protection of the Health Workforce	Prevention is essential when combating COVID-19. Maintenance of essential health services and protection of healthcare workers are needed.
7: Case Management, Clinical Operations, and Therapeutics	Countries should have access to multidisciplinary guidance and guidelines to maintain essential healthcare services at all levels of concern.
8: Operational Support and Logistics, and Supply Chains	Supply chains must be able to meet supply and demand patterns to avoid shortages of medical and health products/services.
9: Maintaining Essential Health Services and Systems	Strengthening essential public health functions and long-term health systems in a whole community takes prioritization in tackling demand and supply barriers.
10: Vaccination	Availability, accessibility, and deployment of safe and effective vaccines are powerful tools to combat the pandemic.

Data reproduced from the WHO, as of February 2021. ³⁴