GENEVA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that it will soon publish updated strategic advice to support countries and regions in making decisions on when they can lift the current social and economic restrictions for COVID-19 containment.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference from Geneva that the new strategy will summarize what the world has already learned about the new virus.

"The decisions must be based first and foremost on protecting human health, and guided by what we know about the virus and how it behaves," he said.

According to the WHO chief, the new strategic advice will include six criteria for countries as they consider lifting restrictions:

First, that transmission is controlled;

Second, that health system capacities are in place to detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact;

Third, that outbreak risks are minimized in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes;

Fourth, that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it's essential for people to go;

Fifth, that importation risks can be managed;

And sixth, that communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the "new norm."

"Every country should be implementing a comprehensive set of measures to slow down transmission and save lives, with the aim of reaching a steady state of low-level or no transmission," Tedros added.