In it for the long haul

MEP Christian Ehler says Europe needs a targeted R&D prize to fight Covid-19

In just a few weeks, the respiratory disease Covid-19 has changed Europe in ways that could linger well after the pandemic has been brought under control. MEP Christian Ehler says the EU should be doing more now with its research spending to help life return to normal in the long run.

The virus that causes Covid-19 probably jumped from another species to humans in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Our globalised economy, and the frequent air travel it entails, has since spread the pathogen to over 150 countries including every EU member state. To stem the pandemic, governments have imposed strict controls on movement within and across their borders.