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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Person: Jay Bhattacharya

WHO Didn’t Recommend Lockdowns, Contrary to Health Officials’ Suggestions

WHO Didn’t Recommend Lockdowns, Contrary to Health Officials’ Suggestions
February 9, 2026

As the U.S. formally exited from the World Health Organization last month, Trump administration officials misleadingly claimed that the WHO “pushed” or “promoted” lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group did not explicitly recommend lockdowns, although it also did not advise countries not to implement them. It said it recognized that the measures might be needed in some cases.

Q&A on New COVID-19 Vaccine Policies

Q&A on New COVID-19 Vaccine Policies
June 5, 2025

In the past two weeks, U.S. public health authorities have skirted normal procedures and announced two major policy changes that will likely reduce access to COVID-19 vaccines and restrict use to higher-risk populations. Here, we explain what we know — and don’t — about these new COVID-19 vaccine policies.