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​Coronavirus Conference Cancelled Due To Coronavirus

​Coronavirus Conference Cancelled Due To Coronavirus

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) was forced to cancel the event due to the ‘evolving COVID-19 situation’

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

A business conference focusing on coronavirus has had to be cancelled, due to - yep, you've guessed it - coronavirus.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) was due to hold a roundtable conference named 'Doing Business Under Coronavirus' on 13 March, as part of a series of events scheduled between 11 March and 3 April around the United States.

However, the think tank was forced to cancel the event due to the 'evolving Covid-19 situation', having had to suspend all in-person meetings until Friday 3 April at least.

PA

The CFR told The Independent: "Due to the evolving Covid-19 situation, the Council on Foreign Relations, like many other organisations, has suspended all in-person events effectively today through at least Friday 3 April 2020.

"Our foremost concern is for the health and safety of Council members, staff and the community."

The CFR conference join a growing list of other events that have had to be cancelled or postponed due to the spread of the virus, including music festivals.

The coronavirus situation has now been officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Director General of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the decision hadn't been taken lightly, though it doesn't affect its advice to countries.

He said: "Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.

"Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It doesn't change what WHO is doing, and it doesn't change what countries should do.

"We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled at the same time. WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases.

"We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."

It's okay to not panic. LADbible and UNILAD's aim with our campaign, Cutting Through, is to provide our community with facts and stories from the people who are either qualified to comment or have experienced first-hand the situation we're facing. For more information from the World Health Organisation on Coronavirus, click here.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News, coronavirus