Early Warning and Response System
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates The Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) for communicable diseases in the European Union was created by the European Commission to "ensure a rapid and effective response by the EU to events (including emergencies) related to communicable diseases."[1]
Brexit and COVID-19
In 2020, the Department of Health and Social Care requested that the United Kingdom should keep its access to the EWRS after Brexit in order to combat the global COVID-19 outbreak. This was supported by numerous medical experts and organizations, with Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, stating that EWRS access was essential to maintain the best possible response.[2] The request was denied by Boris Johnson's government for political reasons, to preserve the government's bargaining position in post-Brexit negotiations.[3][4]
Sources
Further reading
- Eurosurveillance article The Early Warning and Response System for communicable diseases in the EU: an overview from 1999 to 2005. (Euro Surveill 2006;11(12):215–220.) December 2006