Why do some folks think that the World Bank was buying COVID-19 test kits way back in 2018?
The usual suspects…
Was the World Bank Buying COVID-19 Test Kits in 2017 and 2018?
Of course, the World Bank wasn’t buying COVID-19 test kits in 2018, or 2017 for that matter.
But did you really need my help fact checking this one???
What’s your first thought? That this is some kind of conspiracy and they knew about COVID-19 back in 2017 and 2018 or that it is just a typo and they meant 2020?
It turns out that these “COVID-19 Test Kits” are simply diagnostic reagents that are used in test kits and are not actually specific to testing COVID-19.
But then why call them “COVID-19 Test Kits?”
“The Harmonized System is an international nomenclature for the classification of products. It allows participating countries to classify traded goods on a common basis for customs purposes. At the international level, the Harmonized System (HS) for classifying goods is a six-digit code system.”
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems (HS)
Maybe because that’s mainly what they are being used for now. And when they changed the product name, it showed up with the new name in the old lists.
“As a result of this joint effort of the two organizations, the HS Classification Reference for COVID-19 Medical Supplies was updated, in a more structured and user-friendly format, to reflect more of the products that would be required in the professional opinion and experience of the WHO in public health . The first HS classification reference for COVID-19 medical supplies, published by the WCO at the dedicated section of its website two weeks ago, was an initial response of the Secretariat to help countries in their fight against the spread of COVID-19. The initial list contained the classification of essential products needed such as COVID-19 diagnostic test kits and masks, certain protective personal equipment and medical devices such as ventilators and ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), consumables and disinfectant products that may be used for the prevention and treatment of the disease. The latest edition expands this list to cover a greater range of medical equipment and supplies that are required as critical items by the WHO, such as oxygen concentrators and sample collection sets.”
Joint WCO/WHO HS classification list for COVID-19 medical supplies issued
Lists that were first updated in March…
March 2020.
“The updated list is provided as an indicative list with a view to facilitating the classification of COVID-19 medical supplies at the international level (6 digit of the HS). Economic operators are kindly advised to consult with the relevant Customs administrations in relation to classification at domestic levels (7 or more digits) or in the event of any discrepancy between their practices and this list.”
Joint WCO/WHO HS classification list for COVID-19 medical supplies issued
When they added information about COVID-19 medical supplies.
And the first COVID-19 tests?
Not surprisingly, they weren’t developed in 2018 or 2017.
The first COVID-19 tests started to show up in January 2020 in response to the first cases of COVID-19 in December 2019.
More on COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories
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- Can Vaccines Alter Your DNA?
- What Do Anti-Maskers Have in Common With Anti-Vaxxers?
- Anti-Vax Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories
- Understanding COVID-19 Misinformation
- Fact Check – Did a Doctor Prove That Face Masks Don’t Work?
- This data does not show tests for coronavirus being ordered pre-2020
- Trade Statistics Medical Product related to COVID-19 (HS 6-digit)
- Harmonized System Database
- HS classification reference for Covid-19 medical supplies 3.0 Edition
- Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding Systems (HS)
- Trade in Medical Goods in the Context of Tackling Covid-19
- WHO lists two COVID-19 tests for emergency use
- Joint WCO/WHO HS classification list for COVID-19 medical supplies issued
- WCO Guidance: How to classify COVID-19 medical supplies for international trade
- WHO – COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Project (SPRP)
- Sherri Tenpenny claims her anti-vaccine comments are like Jesus
- Sherri Tenpenny and James Grundig: Desperately denying that measles kills
- Research, you’re doing it wrong: A look at Tenpenny’s “Vaccine Research Library”
Look dozy, Covid’s been known about since 1933, when Bushnell and Brandly isolated the virus. It’s only got the “-19” suffix because of the 2019 version. With your lack of medical knowledge, who’s going to take you seriously?