ECDC - risk assessment in the context of COVID-19 and future measures
15.6.2020
Question for written answer E-003585/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Günther Sidl (S&D), Hannes Heide (S&D)
In the risk assessment it published as recently as in February 2020, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), whose task it is to identify, assess and warn about risks and new threats to public health, stated only that the continuing global spread of COVID-19 was likely, but assessed the risk involved as moderate and suggested that it could be reduced further by means of exit screenings conducted by the authorities in Wuhan.
The ECDC did also state, however, that the lack of detailed epidemiological studies meant that there were significant uncertainties surrounding the assessment of the likely spread of the virus.
- 1.What measures does the Commission plan to take to guarantee more effective crisis management in the future, involving all the Member States, and the more effective pooling of resources and specialist knowledge?
- 2.In the light of the risk assessments drawn up in January and February, did the ECDC wait too long before issuing a warning about the virus?
- 3.What measures does the Commission plan to take to ensure that there is no repeat of the situation we are currently experiencing, that an early-warning system is developed and that information is forwarded to the Member States in a timely manner, to prevent states from going it alone and taking unilateral steps such as closing borders, which led to shipments of medical equipment being held up?