Strong community engagement in fighting outbreaks is a key lesson from fighting Ebola, and especially the global AIDS response. That’s according to WHO Chief of Staff Dr. Bernhard Schwartländer, who has ben deeply involved in both. Stigma and misinformation challenge this approach and create barriers to working together toward a solution, he tells our host, James Chau. In our interconnected world, where we all live and thrive together, we need global solidarity, not a shut-down borders, to solve a collective problem like the coronavirus.

Epidemiologists on a joint WHO-China mission are trying to complete their understanding of the new respiratory virus that has gripped Wuhan, its surrounding areas, and beyond. That in turn will allow public health experts to better predict the likely length of the outbreak, says China Current host James Chau. He draws on his experience covering the SARS epidemic 18 years ago, and explores if there are relevant parallels between that the coronavirus outbreak unfolding today. This is an example, he says, of a fast-moving disease that is ahead of even our scientific advances. (Photo by Xinhua News agency)

Dr. Parag Khanna is an economist and author, using his writing to shape our understanding of complex global issues in a rapidly changing world. China Current host, James Chau, discusses with Dr. Khanna China’s capacity to manage the outbreak of novel coronavirus and why not enough people recognize the impact of public health on their lives. They discuss what this means for China and the international community and whether global connectivity is more a burden than a blessing when it comes to global public health. Dr. Khanna speaks to James from Singapore.