Currently viewing: Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing on #covid19 and US and international pandemic preparedness https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/covid-19-and-us-international-pandemic-preparedness-prevention-and-response-additional-perspectives

Mark Dybul of Georgetown says international pandemic preparedness is "one of the most solvable problems" in the world. Says US needs to support a strong WHO, to have a "seat at the table" on int'l discussions around pandemics.

. @JJKWashDC also emphasizes the importance of WHO, saying the organization has no substitute. He says that significant, increased funding needs to be attached to future efforts on international pandemic preparedness to be successful.

. @ashishkjha says US decision to withdraw from WHO is a bad choice. He recognizes the org has made errors- the most prominent being the org's lavish praise for China's response to covid- but its work is critical now and going forward on this pandemic.

. @JeremyKonyndyk the US needs to take this covid moment to "go really big" on global pandemic preparedness. Work on risk awareness, building capacities, early action and response coordination across countries.

He adds that withdrawing the US from WHO would be "tragic and unjustified" and if there is a "fire department" for global pandemics is already exists at WHO in the Health Emergencies Programme there. We need to help improve it, not remove ourselves from it.

Chairman @SenatorRisch says if additional USG funding on pandemic preparedness is going to come, we're going to have to think about pandemic preparedness as a national defense issue.

[side note]: part of rationale for the hearing is to provide input into legislation on future USG engagement on international pandemic preparedness. Chairman Risch and Senator Menendez both recently introduced bills on this https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/chair/release/risch-murphy-cardin-introduce-comprehensive-global-health-bill-to-prevent-future-pandemics

https://www.menendez.senate.gov/news-and-events/press/senate-dems-unveil-comprehensive-covid-19-international-response-and-recovery-act

Strong agreement across the expert panel that the US stepping back from international health engagement (from WHO and otherwise) has provided China and Russia with golden opportunities to expand their influence.