“We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus,” Dr. David Nabarro said to The Spectator’s Andrew Neil. “The only time we believe a lockdown is justified is to buy you time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance your resources, protect your health workers who are exhausted, but by and large, we’d rather not do it.” (October 10th).
"as the primary means of control of the virus".
The WHO has consistently said that the primary methods of controlling the virus are tracking, tracing, handwashing, mask wearing etc. so that lockdowns aren't necessary.
Lockdowns have been necessary when there are too many cases to track and trace so they don't know where the chains of contagion are happening. It is effectively a mass quarantine measure.
This is part of the problem when everything is viewed in some sort of binary situation.
The WHO isn't coming out of this Pandemic looking all that flash. I'd imagine a lot of people will ignore what they say based on their constantly changing statements. This is what they were saying in March.
How is this any changing of their advice? In the statement you quoted, the measures they're suggesting as the best way to suppress and stop transmission isn't the lockdown.