Photo taken in Brussels, Belgium on Aug. 6, 2020 shows World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attending an online press conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. The COVID-19 death toll worldwide has surpassed 700,000, reaching 701,754 as of Thursday, according to the latest number from the WHO. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

The World Health Organization (WHO) urged governments on Monday to engage with people demonstrating against COVID-19 restrictions and listen to their concerns, but stressed protesters needed to understand the virus was dangerous.

Asked about recent demonstrations in a number of countries against coronavirus restrictions, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was important to "listen to what people are asking, what people are saying."

"We should engage in an honest dialogue," he told reporters, stressing though that demonstrators have a responsibility to ensure protests are safe.

"The virus is real. It is dangerous. It moves fast and it kills," he said, insisting "we have to do everything to protect ourselves and to protect others."

German police on Saturday halted a Berlin march by tens of thousands of people opposed to novel coronavirus restrictions in the biggest of several European protests against face mask rules and other anti-virus curbs.

Several hundred of the Berlin protesters then broke through barriers and a police cordon to storm Germany's parliament, in a move German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned as "shameful."

Speaking about the broader protests, WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan pointed out that "epidemics and emergencies create strong emotions, and acceptance of measures is always very, very tough."

"It is really important that governments don't overreact to people protesting against measures," he told the virtual briefing in a statement.

"The real important thing to do is to enter into a dialogue with groups." 

While acknowledging the importance of allowing different viewpoints to be heard, Tedros took issue with the opinions voiced by some that high death rates were not really a concern if it is mainly the elderly who are dying.

"Accepting someone to die because of age is moral bankruptcy at its highest, and we shouldn't allow our society to behave this way," he said. 

"Every life whether it is young or old is precious. And we have to do everything to save it."

AFP