A swift and collaborative international response could have stopped the 2019 Covid-19 outbreak in China becoming a global catastrophe in 2020, according to a scathing report on the response of world leaders and the World Health Organisation to the pandemic. Travel restrictionsThe panel is scathing about the International Health Regulations, the only legally binding instrument on disease outbreaks. Photograph: Alan Betson /The Irish TimesThe panel criticises the WHO for not declaring Covid a public health emergency of international concern until January 30th. The facility should be ready to disburse up to $100 billion at short notice in the event of another pandemic, the panel says. “The shelves of storage rooms in the UN and national capitals are full of reports and reviews of previous health crises,” Sirleaf said.

Source: The Irish Times May 12, 2021 13:49 UTC