Pandemic Preparedness: Where Science and Policy Meet

• Global collaborative response, early warning, One-Health approach, combination of interventions and good communication are key elements for a successful pandemic preparedness instrument. 
• The European Scientific Working group on Influenza and other Acute Respiratory Viruses (ESWI) has taken part in the WHO public hearing on a new plan for pandemic preparedness. 
• Main outcome of ESWI summit “Pandemic Preparedness: Where Science and Policy Meet” will be published in the scientific journal One Health Outlook early 2023. 

Brussels, 10 October 2022 – Based on your experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you believe should be addressed at international level to better protect against future pandemics? The European Scientific Working group on Influenza and other Acute Respiratory Viruses (ESWI) contributed to the second round of public hearings organised by the World Health Organization (WHO).

ESWI welcomes the opportunity for engagement provided by WHO on the new international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, which should reflect lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Global collaborative response, early warning, a One-Health approach -understanding that human health, animal health, and environmental health are closely interlinked-, combination of interventions -non- pharmaceutical interventions and pharmaceutical interventions-, and good communication between scientists, healthcare professionals, policymakers, politicians, and the public will lead to more efficient prevention and combat strategies for future pandemics.

“The most important lesson from how we are handling the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is that we need to be better prepared for future pandemics, and that a global collaborative response should cover a multi-sector approach. Most importantly, scientists, healthcare professionals, policymakers, politicians, and communicators should realise there is a role for each of them to play”, Ab Osterhaus, Chair of ESWI.

As part of the work to anticipate threats and to coordinate actions to respond to future health threats by the international community, ESWI organised a respiratory virus summit on 21 June, entitled “Pandemic Preparedness: Where Science and Policy Meet”. The discussion, held in the heart of EU headquarters in Brussels, brought together representatives of international health organisations, academia, industry, and press. They shed light on lessons learnt from handling past pandemics and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, improving efforts to limit the health and socio-economic impact of future pandemics that will occur in our changing world.

The main outcomes and recommendations of the ESWI Summit will be published as a peer-reviewed article in the scientific journal One Health Outlook early 2023.

Links 

• ESWI Summit 2022, 21 June 2022. Pandemic Preparedness: Where Science and Policy Meet

• ESWI Airborne podcast. Ab Osterhaus: Pandemic Preparedness Planning in Peacetime, 27 March 2022

• Second round of WHO public hearings on a new international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, 29-30 September 2022

• One Health Outlook

Contacts
Goretti Cortina, Media and Press Relations, ESWI Secretariat, goretti.cortina@eswi.org