FOLLOW ON
Complete coverage at CTVNews.ca/Coronavirus
Receive the most important updates in your inbox
Track the number of people in Canada who have received doses
Advertisement
Reuters Staff
Contact
LONDON — One of the world’s leading infectious disease experts said on Thursday the collapse of global collaboration during COVID-19 made the pandemic "far worse" and continues to put the world at greater pandemic risk than at any point in his working life.
Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust who quit as a U.K. government adviser in November, has previously bemoaned failures in international co-operation on COVID-19 but his new remarks amount to his strongest criticism yet of world leaders.
"This pandemic has been made worse, in my view by catastrophic failure of global diplomacy," Farrar told an online briefing. "I think it bedeviled the start of the pandemic, frankly…There’s no doubt in my mind that the geopolitics of 2020 made this pandemic far worse than it needed to be."
He said the situation could also mean that the origins of COVID-19 are never discovered.
Where, when and how the virus originated remains one of the central mysteries of COVID-19, which has killed more than six million people worldwide. The United States and other countries have criticized China for delaying sharing information when the virus emerged there in 2019.
In December, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Beijing had still not disclosed some early data that might help pinpoint the origins and called for a second phase of an investigation into it.
On Thursday, Farrar reiterated his position that the “overwhelming majority” of evidence points towards natural origins, although he said a lab leak still cannot be ruled out.
Without international co-operation, finding out more may be impossible, alongside establishing which other animal viruses might pose a risk to humanity.
"I believe we shut that door in January and February of 2020, and as a result, I’m afraid we’re at greater risk today than we have been probably throughout my professional career,” he said.
“I think we are now very, very vulnerable to further events, further animal viruses coming across, because we have no international co-operation going on, in terms of identifying animal viruses that would be a threat to humanity.”
Farrar also argued that the world is attempting to move on from COVID-19 too fast, particularly considering the low levels of vaccination coverage in some countries.
One week after England ditched all COVID-19 restrictions, he said that he would have advised a more cautious reopening if he were still working with the government. "My worry is we’re going to try and move on too quickly.”
Earlier, the WHO’s European head, Hans Kluge, suggested in a briefing to reporters that the region could be moving towards “a kind of pandemic endgame”, although he also warned that “the pandemic is far from over”.
A man wearing a face mask walks past a wooden board with graffiti reading ‘Want the pandemic to end?’ in Rome, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Tracking every case of COVID-19 in Canada
‘We’re looking at a restriction-free Manitoba by spring’: Province taking first step to completely remove restrictions
More provinces preparing to loosen COVID-19 restrictions in coming weeks
COVID-19 Omicron cases peak, experts say, but path ahead uncertain
Europe entering ‘plausible endgame’ to COVID-19 pandemic: WHO
Can you hack your face mask for a better fit? Researchers find out
White House ready to ‘hit the ground running’ to vaccinate kids under 5
Don’t underestimate Omicron, WHO warns as nations ease restrictions
CMA, activists call on Canada to speed vaccine access globally to stop new variants
What science has learned about COVID-19 immunity amid Delta, Omicron waves
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be linked to childhood trauma, study suggests
Prime Minister Trudeau tests positive for COVID-19
Denmark scraps most COVID-19 restrictions
Liberals introduce new bill to authorize purchase of up to $2.5B worth of rapid tests
Montreal hospital delivers baby to unvaccinated mother with COVID-19, who is now on life support
Full coverage at CTVNews.ca/Coronavirus
Advertisement
Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.   Editorial Standards and Policies
© 2020All rights reserved.
Back to top

source