U.S. and Europe could be working together to restructure the WHO.

An anonymous European health official said Britain, France, Germany & Italy were discussing WHO reforms with the U.S. due to its closeness with China.

An anonymous European health official said Britain, France, Germany & Italy were discussing WHO reforms with the U.S. due to its closeness with China.In a Reuters statement, an anonymous European health official discussed steps that Britain, France, Germany, and Italy along with the US were taking to reform the WHO at the technical level. According to the official, the aim was to ensure WHO’s independence. It was an apparent reference to allegations that the body was too close to China during its initial response to the coronavirus crisis early this year.

The main steps of this plan are to separate the WHO's emergency management mechanism so that it is not dependent on a single country's influence. Another step mentioned by the official is to change the WHO’s funding system to make it more long-term, rather than short term and dependent on funds from certain countries.

Finally, European countries are looking to increase their influence and activity in the WHO through these reforms.Reuters also reported that in June 2020, in a video conference, EU health ministers suggested that European countries were taking a stronger line and also seeking more European influence at the WHO in future. The German and French ministers reportedly told their colleagues an evaluation and reform of the WHO was needed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.