Журнал. World association for medical law. The COVID-19 pandemic. Volume 39 2

116 Medicine and Law death rate was 5.5% a month ago 3 . The accumulation of data and worsening of the COVID mortality rate will assist in taking the appropriate steps. Though this pandemic has raised serious concerns on a global scale, it may not mean that quarantines, lock-downs and deprivation of freedoms must continue. All international flights, events and gatherings, sport and cultural programs have been cancelled. Global events such as the Tokyo Olympics Games, World Expo and world congresses were postponed. WAML cancelled its 26 th World Medical Law Congress in Toronto, Canada, scheduled for August 2020. International and professional communities have begun to doubt the legitimacy of the WHO (World Health Organization). The WHO has failed to emphasize the early signals from China, at the end of December 2019, only announcing a global pandemic on March 11 th 2020, after multiple countries implemented states of emergency 4 . PANDEMICS SITUATION IN AZERBAIJAN: LOCK DOWNS AND QUARANTINE Like many other countries, Azerbaijan stringently followed WHO’s recommendations 5 . It experienced panic, with a sharp increase of media cover and information from other sources that furthered the effects of the pandemic. National television channels started to repeat messages covered in the world media, with about 90% related to death, catastrophes and fatalities. The Azerbaijan population entered lock-down from 31 st March till 18 th of May 6,7 . Government workers, medical personnel fighting COVID 19, food providers and market workers were eligible to work and be outside. The “EvdeQal” (Stay at Home) campaign allowed others a two-hour window for shopping for groceries close to their residence and appropriate medical needs, employing telemedicine/telephone consultations. The elderly were deprived of this 4 WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at- the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 5 COVID-19 pandemic in Azerbaijan. https://www.searchnewworld.com/ search /search2.ht ml?partid=rolbng&p=public+announcement+of+world+pandemics+on+the+11 th +March+ 2020&subid=004 6 Azerbaijan signals a lockdown and a crackdown in fight against coronavirus. https://www. searchnewworld.com/search/search2.html?partid=rolbng&p=public+announcement+of+w orld+pandemics+on+the+11 th +March+2020&subid=004 7 Ayya Lmahamad. Azerbaijan loosens coronavirus lockdown nationwide. https://www. azernews.az/nation/165168.html