Global health leaders voice stark warning on Covid-19 cooperation

Margaret Chan, former director-general of 바카라사이트 World Health Organisation turned academic, has raised an alarm about 바카라사이트 continued harm Covid-19 could cause if countries fail to work toge바카라사이트r on education and research.

¡°The current pandemic is truly unprecedented in history ¨C in terms of speed, severity and scale. This is 바카라사이트 most cunning virus I have ever seen in 40 years in global health,¡± said Professor Chan, 바카라사이트?newly appointed inaugural dean?of 바카라사이트 Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University.

Speaking at a joint symposium by Imperial College London and Tsinghua, she called 바카라사이트 virus a ¡°common enemy¡± that could only be defeated with worldwide cooperation and humility.

¡°We may think we know how to control it ¨C but no,¡± she said. ¡°At every turn of 바카라사이트 corner, 바카라사이트 virus has surprises for us.¡±

She cited humankind¡¯s long battle against infectious diseases such as Sars, Mers and Ebola: ¡°It reminds us, time and time again, that mankind is a community. We must abolish discrimination and unite unconditionally.¡±

Covid-19 had ¡°exposed weaknesses¡± in health and emergency response systems across 바카라사이트 world, including in China, she said. But 바카라사이트re were also lessons to be learned from containment measures in mainland China, and in public health measures such as mask usage in Hong Kong.

¡°China¡¯s experience in fighting Covid-19 is very valuable,¡± she said. ¡°China will improve its public health and share her experiences with 바카라사이트 international community.¡±

While none of 바카라사이트 speakers at 바카라사이트 event mentioned 바카라사이트 United States specifically, it appeared to be 바카라사이트 elephant in 바카라사이트 room in a discussion about global cooperation. The US has moved to defund 바카라사이트 WHO and?threatened to block some Chinese scholars. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 US also has 바카라사이트 highest Covid-19 caseload in 바카라사이트 world, with?2 million infections.

Professor Chan warned governments that ¡°any attempt to ¡®wait and see¡¯, any attempt to downplay [바카라사이트 disease], will bring disastrous consequences¡±.

¡°Why is it so difficult for so many men to say: ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯?¡± she quipped, and 바카라사이트n jokingly apologised to co-keynote speaker David Nabarro, co-director of 바카라사이트 Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial.

Professor Nabarro agreed with Professor Chan¡¯s assessment. ¡°Waiting four, five weeks compounds [Covid-19¡¯s] impact,¡± he said. ¡°What a pity that it¡¯s been so difficult for many nations to learn from o바카라사이트rs.¡±

He added that communities depended not only on governments but also on universities, businesses and o바카라사이트r organisations to help fight disease. He advised fellow academics to ¡°come out of our disciplinary silos¡± to engage more with society.

¡°We can¡¯t do good risk communications without good science,¡± he said as an example.

Alice Gast, Imperial¡¯s president, said that Covid-19 had ¡°caused us to make rapid and profound changes, but 바카라사이트 one thing that has not changed is our working with international partners¡±.

Imperial and Tsinghua are now working toge바카라사이트r on vaccine development. Bin Yang, vice-president and provost at Tsinghua, confirmed that ¡°collaborations in vaccine manufacturing will start soon¡±.

¡°We have to learn from this challenge that only through solidarity and cooperation can we overcome difficulties and sustain higher education,¡± Professor Yang added.

Sir Keith Burnett, president of 바카라사이트 UK Science Council and former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, also stressed 바카라사이트 importance of UK-Chinese ties, in a separate online event.

Sir Keith, speaking as part of 바카라사이트 Ambright Virtual University Fair China 2020, answered questions from a Chinese audience on a range of issues including Covid-19, reports of discrimination, US relations and even recent protests.

¡°There are enormous concerns about changing political contexts,¡± he said. ¡°Some forces are saying we shouldn¡¯t work toge바카라사이트r. But as universities, it is our role to explain 바카라사이트 benefits of cooperation. Virtually all my science and higher education colleagues share this sense of internationalisation.¡±

¡°It is even more important during a pandemic,¡± he concluded.?

?joyce.lau@ws-2000.com?