Senior UK officials have tested positive for Covid-19, as Europe pledges more for research
Europe
EU leaders have promised to do whatever they can to facilitate research to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, after discussing it via videoconference. But a former World Health Organization leader on pandemic preparedness has warned the EU that much more investment is needed in public health infrastructure, even after Covid-19 is defeated.
United Kingdom
The government’s chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance has confirmed he is free of Covid-19 symptoms as the chief medical officer Chris Whitty began self isolating and prime minister Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock both tested positive for the disease.
Universities minister Michelle Donelan has urged vice-chancellors to keep the number of workers on site to “an absolute minimum” while asking them to “think creatively” about how to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. The UK government has also announced £210 million in further funding towards the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to support the development of vaccines against coronavirus.
United States
Advocates for the humane use of animals in research have called on the UK and US governments to ensure researchers working on the Covid-19 pandemic and other life-threatening and debilitating illnesses can access the animals they need for their work.
China
China is looking to its science and technology sector to stabilise the economy after Covid-19, as the outbreak appears to be on the wane in the country.
The Australian government must publish all scientific data and evidence that supports its policy response to the Covid-19 national health emergency, a group of the country’s top research scientists has said. And researchers have developed a ‘pandemic drone’ to monitor crowds and detect coronavirus symptoms in public places.