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:

1. define mass gathering and the risk posed by it;

2. explain how a risk assessment can help with public health planning;

3. score risk associated with an upcoming mass gathering and identify ways to increase the safety of participants

4. 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

Certificates: Confirmation of Participation will be available to participants who complete 100% of the course material.

USEFUL LINKS: 

1) To participate in this course please follow the link: https://openwho.org/courses/WHO-COVID-19-mass-gatherings-risk-assessment-training 

2)  Q&A on mass gatherings, where everyone able to find out the most popular question and answers on Covid-19: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub