With much of China now in lockdown, the latest strain of Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, now confirmed to have spread to 19 countries around the world it can be seen that to fight a global threat to Public Health, International Health Regulations need to be reviewed and strengthened to respond quickly and to allow for rapid deployment of global measures with substantial pre-allocated funding, and total commitment of all political parties.
British politicians must consider this in light of Brexit, it is not clear if we will be able to access the European Early Warning and Response System ( EWRS) after 31st of December 2020. Switzerland asked for temporary access in light of the Coronavirus outbreak but is unlikely to be granted permanent access. The UK will participate in the World Health Organisation (WHO) system post Brexit.
The ECDC, EWRS and the European Regime allows for a much deeper level of cooperation, freedom of goods and persons, the rapid approval of pandemic medicines and joint public procurement. There is a real concern that the UK will not be able to benefit from these protective measures and manufacturers involved in these countermeasures may prioritise the larger markets over the UK.
It is unlikely that the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC ) based in Stockholm which responds to threats to health within Europe will co-operate with the UK. The UK has withdrawn from the Joint Procurement Agreement and the European Medicine Agency will this put the health of the UK public at risk?