Covid management: an evening of reflection at USI

A panel discussion on the lessons learnt from COVID management will be held on Thursday, 12 December 2024, at the West Campus Lugano Auditorium, from 7 to 8:30 pm. The encounter, organised by the Institute of Public Health (IPH ) of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), will be dedicated to reflecting on the challenges posed by future pandemics and the balance between public health and the functioning of democratic institutions.

Currently, there are no pandemics in Switzerland, but experts agree that more will emerge in the future. This situation highlights the need to analyse the mistakes made during the COVID-19 era, as there has been a lack of investigative efforts by the authorities. Consequently, it will fall upon civil society and academia to address these issues and foster a constructive discussion.

The encounter will feature Prof. Emiliano Albanese, Full professor of Public Health at the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at USI, Prof. Konstantin Beck, Professor of Insurance Economics at the University of Lucerne, and Serena Tinari, investigative journalist in the medical field at Re-Check. The session will be moderated by Prof. Boas Erez, a Full professor of Mathematics at USI.

The occasion is the publication of the Italian translation of Prof. Konstantin Beck's book, "WHO cares? Swiss policy during the pandemic and the influence of the WHO: a scientific dissemination position", which offers a critical analysis of the political and health decisions taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event, which will be held in Italian and French, is an opportunity to reflect on the role and limits of science and politics in managing health emergencies, promoting a dialogue involving experts and the public.

For more information, please contact Prof. Boas Erez at [email protected].