The World Health Summit 2020 to be held
The three-day World Health Summit, held entirely online, will open in Germany today.
In addition to the ongoing COVID-19 crises, the annual conference will focus on long-term health-related goals including the UN sustainable development goals, climate change and EU engagement globally.
The conference opens even as Germany experiences a concerning second wave of COVID-19 cases. New daily cases breached the 11,000 mark in Germany this week and COVID-19 restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus have been rapidly re-implemented across the country. These include regional lockdowns, such as in Berchtesgaden, which prohibit residents from leaving their homes except for essential activities.
Expect continued policy uncertainty in the coming weeks as the country grapples with how to respond to the second wave. Should cases-per-day rise exponentially, another nation-wide lockdown is not out of the question. Although conferences such as the World Health Summit are effective vehicles for setting the tone for medium and long-term initiatives, their impact on immediate challenges such as Germany’s ongoing COVID-19 surge remains limited.
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