Preparedness or Prevention. Conflicting Concepts in the Covid19 Pandemic
Channel: medico international
Date: 2020-10-29

Preparedness or Prevention. Defence or Precaution. How conflicting concepts of Global Health Security and Public Health are shaping the Covid19 response

The Covid19 Pandemic is holding its grip firmly on all health policy discussions and practice 10 months after the first cases appeared in Wuhan, China. Global action has focussed on funding and rushing for vaccines, treatments and ever increasing testing, tracing and quarantining of Covid19 infections, physical distancing measures, masking and hygiene practices to keep the curve of new infections low.

The narrative of “crisis” and “war” has dominated the political discourse and actions since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in January 2020. Narrow and rapidly sketched national preparedness and outbreak management responses and not structural prevention, social mitigation and comprehensive public health policies have taken over in the strategies of most countries to deal with the epidemic, leaving vulnerable groups exposed to higher infection rates and mortality.

Coinciding with the World Health Summit 2020 in Berlin, it is high time to engage in a broader conversation and debate on the Pandemic with inputs from other perspectives and experiences from social epidemiology, political science and comprehensive public health and community action.

We invite you to listen and contribute to a critical reflection of the ongoing “war against the virus” and alternative options to shape the response to this global health challenge.

TOPIC

Fighting the Virus or fighting social vulnerabilities to the virus? Which structural, social and political “default settings” have shaped the national, regional and global Covid19 response? What options lie ahead for a multipolar world to deal with future pandemics?

SPEAKER

Mareike Haase, Bread for the World Germany, Welcome and Introduction

Round table discussion with:

Ass. Prof. Anne Roemer-Mahler, University of Sussex, UK – a perspective of political science

Asst. Prof. Iris Dzudzek, University of Münster, a perspective of social epidemiology

Dr. René Loewenson, TARSC/EQUINET East and Southern Africa, a perspective of comprehensive public health

Moderator: Dr. Andreas Wulf, medico international

Online discussion streamed on Octobre 26th 2020

More information: https://www.medico.de/corona-dossier