Overview
The training describes the risk assessment exercise that WHO has developed to aid health authorities and event organizers in their planning for upcoming mass gatherings amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. WHO has developed a set of COVID-19 risk assessments tools dedicated to generic mass gatherings as well as to sports specific and religious specific mass gatherings. It should be noted, however, that general considerations and advice applicable to the organization of mass gatherings, and addressing risks of any origin, should also be taken into account when planning an event. These risk assessments provide a user-friendly way for health authorities and organizers to understand the level of risk an upcoming mass gathering may hold in further spreading COVID-19, both within a country and globally. All of the tools mentioned can be found on the WHO website. The course has been developed in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, WHO Collaborating Centre on Global Health Security.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, learners should be able to:
- define mass gathering and the risk posed by it;
- explain how a risk assessment can help with public health planning;
- list the steps involved in:
- conducting a generic risk assessment for mass gatherings,
- conducting a risk assessment for religious mass gatherings,
- conducting a generic risk assessment for sporting mass gatherings; and
- score risk associated with an upcoming mass gathering and identify ways to increase the safety of participants.
Course duration: Approximately 1 hour.
Certificates: A Confirmation of Participation will be available to participants who complete 100% of the course material.
Please note: The materials used in this course are currently being revised to reflect updates to the technical content. All course participants will be notified once these updates have been made.
Course contents
- Module 1: Introduction to Mass Gathering Risk Assessment:By the end of this module, you will be able to: explain what a mass gathering is and describe the role of risk assessments and their role in public health planning.
- Module 2: Generic Mass Gathering Risk Assessment:By the end of this module, you will be able to: list the steps involved in a generic mass gathering risk assessment; and determine an overall risk score using the WHO risk assessment tool and taking into account modification and mitigation measures.
- Module 3: Sporting Mass Gathering Risk Assessment:By the end of this module, you will be able to: list the steps involved in a sporting mass gathering risk assessment; and determine an overall risk score using the WHO risk assessment tool and taking into account modification and mitigation measures.
- Module 4: Religious Mass Gathering Risk Assessment:By the end of this module, you will be able to: list the steps involved in a religious mass gathering risk assessment; and determine an overall risk score using the WHO risk assessment tool and taking into account modification and mitigation measures.
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