Canada, like the WHO, was slow to recommend the use of non-medical masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible. It was slow to approve serological tests, despite their use in other countries, because, as a Health Canada spokesperson told CBC, the WHO does not recommend them for clinical diagnosis.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at the WHO, accusing it of bungling its early response to COVID-19 and announcing that U.S. funding for the organization would be put on hold. It was a rich deflection from a leader who spent February comparing COVID-19 to the seasonal flu and much of March fighting with governors over their requests for resources to fight the pandemic.
