The world is still not prepared for another large‑scale virus outbreak, says infectious disease specialist Anja Schreijer. She shared this view during a hearing by the parliamentary committee on coronavirus inquiry. According to Schreijer, this became clear during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where essential resources were immediately lacking and difficult to obtain.
Schreijer, medical director of the Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness Centre, believes that better international cooperation can solve these problems. She says the global pandemic convention should help countries work together more effectively. “We must share knowledge as soon as possible”, she emphasised. Schreijer also says that clear agreements are needed for sharing resources.
If a new pandemic occurs, Schreijer believes that measures across countries must be better aligned than during the coronavirus pandemic. She pointed out differences between countries at the time. “It was strange that people in Belgium were still allowed to go to the café, and in the Netherlands, we were not”.
