select search filters
briefings
roundups & rapid reactions
Fiona fox's blog
Matt Hancock has announced a new UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) that will lead protection against future health threats.
Dr Gail Carson, Deputy Chair of the Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network (GOARN), University of Oxford, said:
“Thank you indeed to all the teams at Public Health England who were re structured in the middle of a pandemic and now for a second time. Who, despite this, remained focussed on protecting the nation. Perhaps, in the coming days we will hear more about an all hazard approach, it is not all about pandemic preparedness, it needs to be broader. I hope to hear more about working and looking through a global lens but perhaps, with the recent proposed cuts in the overseas budget that might blur the vision. The social determinants of health are a foundational piece bridging across to the personal health risk incurred. If we listen to, really understand and engage with our communities not only for response but in preparedness, work with them and support them outside of the disasters – we will build trust. This pandemic has highlighted all the cracks in our systems – the political, economic, health and societal. Through collaboration we can in recovery make this a better place to live, a fairer place.”
All our previous output on this subject can be seen at this weblink:
www.sciencemediacentre.org/tag/covid-19
Declared interests
None received.