Many rich countries are invoking the ‘national interest’, by banning exports of vital medical supplies.
The EU has announced export restrictions on medical supplies needed for the COVID-19 pandemic to countries outside the European single market, ignoring earlier pledges.
France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland now want to ban the export of certain types of protective equipment and gear, prompting Stella Kyriakides, the EU Health Commissioner, to contradict them, insisting instead that “Solidarity is key”.
Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, also appealed to EU governments to reconsider their export restrictions on medical supplies, including personal protective equipment for frontline health workers.
Such moves are politically attractive, with Trump’s approval ratings hitting an all-time high. Much of the US public agrees with Trump blaming China for the COVID-19 outbreak, with some senior UK Tory politicians joining the chorus, warning that China will face ‘a reckoning’ over it.
Covid-19 is already challenging our assumptions about humanity, about society, about greed and selfishness, about the need to cooperate. he pandemic has exposed fault lines in trust among humans, among groups, among countries, between citizens and governments, and faith in many of our assumptions about the world around us. Many of us recoil in disbelief, shock and despair when we learn of those already infected who put others at risk, who ruin, destroy and compromise society’s already modest, inadequate existing health capacities through their selfish behaviour.
We are beginning to doubt social media and many other previously trusted sources of information and knowledge, as we slowly realize that we are inundated with fake news, information and advice. We are doubting those leaders and others who see the COVID-19 crisis as a minor blip, a temporary interruption before returning to ‘business as usual’, following a V-shaped recovery. Such proposals come from those with agendas of their own, of self-interested business opportunities.
After we get past the lockdowns and other ‘inconveniences’ imposed by COVID-19 things must be different, really different. We caannot - we will not - return to ‘business as usual’ after we get over this crisis.
The EU has announced export restrictions on medical supplies needed for the COVID-19 pandemic to countries outside the European single market, ignoring earlier pledges.
France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland now want to ban the export of certain types of protective equipment and gear, prompting Stella Kyriakides, the EU Health Commissioner, to contradict them, insisting instead that “Solidarity is key”.
Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, also appealed to EU governments to reconsider their export restrictions on medical supplies, including personal protective equipment for frontline health workers.
Such moves are politically attractive, with Trump’s approval ratings hitting an all-time high. Much of the US public agrees with Trump blaming China for the COVID-19 outbreak, with some senior UK Tory politicians joining the chorus, warning that China will face ‘a reckoning’ over it.
Covid-19 is already challenging our assumptions about humanity, about society, about greed and selfishness, about the need to cooperate. he pandemic has exposed fault lines in trust among humans, among groups, among countries, between citizens and governments, and faith in many of our assumptions about the world around us. Many of us recoil in disbelief, shock and despair when we learn of those already infected who put others at risk, who ruin, destroy and compromise society’s already modest, inadequate existing health capacities through their selfish behaviour.
We are beginning to doubt social media and many other previously trusted sources of information and knowledge, as we slowly realize that we are inundated with fake news, information and advice. We are doubting those leaders and others who see the COVID-19 crisis as a minor blip, a temporary interruption before returning to ‘business as usual’, following a V-shaped recovery. Such proposals come from those with agendas of their own, of self-interested business opportunities.
After we get past the lockdowns and other ‘inconveniences’ imposed by COVID-19 things must be different, really different. We caannot - we will not - return to ‘business as usual’ after we get over this crisis.
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