How the world should be tackling the coronavirus crisis – Gordon Brown

The 69-year-old, who is part of the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, criticised the protectionist approaches from select countries, which have led most recently to the vaccine nationalism, the restriction of health exports and the abandonment of cooperation.

Speaking via a video message at this year’s Business 20 (B20) summit in Riyadh, said: “We have to come together to collectively finance a globally accessible vaccine, cure and set of treatments because Covid-19 will not be fully eradicated in any country until it is finally eradicated in every country.”

In June it was agreed by member countries of the Group of 20 (G20), which is scheduled to meet next month in Riyadh, to pledge more than $21 billion to fight the coronavirus pandemic. That was on top of more than $5 trillion, which was injected into the global economy by the G20 in late March to fight the virus and its economic impact.

The June 2020 Global Economic Prospects from the World Bank forecast a 5.2 percent contraction in global GDP this year, the deepest global recession in years.

Brown, who contributed to the spring seminar organised virtually by the B20, said: “Then many said that in the absence of a vaccine or cure and in the knowledge that carriers of the disease do not show visible symptoms, we need to make testing our first line of defence.

“Now that a saliva test, with features similar to a pregnancy test, self-administered, relatively inexpensive and with almost instant results, is soon to become available, there should be a million-fold increase in testing around the world. Globally pulling and sharing such breakthroughs so that not only the wealthiest, but also the poorest countries can control the disease.”

He added: “If we accompany this by also calling for rapid tracking, testing, tracing and when necessary self-isolation, this breakthrough would allow employees to go to work without fear, be geographically mobile, to travel without heightened restrictions and businesses to return to near full activity with only minimum disruption.”

An AstraZeneca spokesman said the initial results “further build the body of evidence for the safety and immunogenicity” of its experimental vaccine

It comes as British pharma giant AstraZeneca said on Monday trials of its coronavirus vaccine pioneered with Oxford University had shown “encouraging” responses among elderly, as well as younger participants.

The potential vaccine, one of 10 around the world in the most advanced phase III of trials, showed “strong immune responses” in all adult groups during the previous stage, according to an update from Oxford.

An AstraZeneca spokesman said the initial results “further build the body of evidence for the safety and immunogenicity” of its experimental vaccine.

Held under the presidency of Saudi Arabia, this year’s B20, the official voice of the global business community to the G20, which is due to be held next month, is focusing on key priority topics: digitalisation; energy, sustainability & climate; finance & infrastructure; future of work & education; integrity & compliance; and trade & investment. While women in business will be the kingdom’s signature topic and a key aspect of differentiation.