EM-Monthly: How to prepare for future pandemics
You can watch the webinar on demand on our Vimeo Channel. CLICK HERE
COVID-19: 2 years on, where next? How to prepare for future pandemics
EUSEM organized February’s webinar in collaboration with UEMS S&B for Emergency Medicine.
As some countries are coming out of the fifth wave of the COVID pandemic, we want to address how we will handle future pandemics. We have invited representatives from European, international and national authorities and organizations to discuss the future.
Mr Christian Wimmer from the European Commission, Dr Gerald Rockenschaub from WHO and Prof Yazdan Yazdanpanah, a scientific advisor of president Macron addressed the current and future state of COVID.
The recorded webinar will be avialable soon.
The full programme
Chairs: Dr Ruth Brown (UEMS EM Section & Board president) and Dr Abdo Khoury (EUSEM president)
17:00 - introduction of speakers and topic - Dr Ruth Brown
17:05- European commission response to health emergencies - Mr Christian Wimmer (Health Emergency Preparedness and response authority - European Commission)
- purpose and function of HERA and authority within the EU Commission
- reflection on coordination during initial pandemic 2020 - what went well what was achieved
- future plans - priorities and actions underway
- any regulatory action required in Europe
17:25 Building resilience for future pandemics: Dr Gerald Rockenschaub (Regional Emergency Director for WHO Europe)
- what do we mean by resilience in relation to pandemics
- what are the key elements to consider
- how does the WHO help nations and organisations to build that resilience
- how can individual organisations /hospitals build resilience- if they can
17:45 Learning to live with COVID: treatment and impact of new variants: Prof Yazdan Yazdanpanah (Member of the scientific council advising President Macron)
- how effective is mass vaccination
- should we worry about variants - and will they become more lethal and more transmissible?
- how helpful is social distancing, masks, isolation after contact?
- what does it mean for our emergency services in the future- pre-hospital and in hospital
18:05 Questions to the panel, final discussion and round up - Dr Abdo Khoury