Kamala Harris tells UN the world must prepare for next pandemic challenge

VICE President Kamala Harris will make the case before United Nations members that now is the time for world leaders to begin putting in the serious work on how they will respond to the next global pandemic.

The virtual address yesterday, Ms Harris’ second to a UN body since her inauguration, will come as the United States makes progress on vaccinating the public and much of the world struggles to acquire vaccines.

“At the same time that the world works to get through this pandemic, we also know that we must prepare for the next,” Ms Harris will say.

The speech will be co-hosted by UN permanent representatives of Argentina, Japan, Norway and South Africa.

The Biden administration will mark its first 100 days in office this week.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to address Congress tomorrow and is certain to highlight the headway his administration has made in responding to the worst public health crisis in the US in more than a century.

Ms Harris, according to excerpts, will broadly outline how the administration believes the US and other countries should consider focusing their attention.

The steps include improving accessibility to health systems, investing in science, health workers and the well-being of women, and surging capacity for personal protective equipment and vaccine and test manufacturing.

Ms Harris says much has been learned over the last year about pandemic preparedness and response – but that it would be unwise to rest easy.

“We have been reminded that the status quo is not nearly good enough, and that innovation is indeed the path forward,” Ms Harris says.

Mr Biden’s ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-greenfield, is also scheduled to deliver remarks at the virtual event.