In my global health course today, we will cover pandemics.

My summary of the major lessons from #COVID19 (so far):

1. Something like #COVID19 was expected, but countries were not prepared (despite all the post-Ebola commissions)

2. Global governance is fragmented and failing

3. WHO's response is under review & findings must be used to strengthen the agency

4. US is no longer a credible leader in global health

5. Nationalism & isolationism have become amplified during the pandemic

6. Countries suppress information & underplay the scale of the problem - not easy to hold them accountable

7. Science is under attack & infodemics are hard to fight

8. Political interference has greatly weakened public health agencies & experts

9. Bad leadership costs lives

10. Political inaction costs trillions of $$$

11. Pandemics exploit pre-existing inequities & worsen them

12. Pandemics destroy economies

13. Health systems are more fragile than we thought (even in HICs)

14. Covid-19 is wiping out years of progress in global health

15. International aid (development assistance) is under threat

16. LMICs are finding their own path

17. In a matter of months, remarkable R&D and research is possible (when HICs are threatened)

18. Development of new technologies, even during a global crisis, does not automatically mean access

19. Pandemics require multiple interventions to control

20. Global solidarity is painfully missing & does not bode well for tackling future crises (e.g. climate change)