Expert panel says COVID-19 disaster could have been avoided

COVID-19 infections are surging in the Americas, with the region facing new variants and an insufficient supply of vaccines. It comes as a report concludes the pandemic was preventable and could have been avoided. Former New Zealand Prime Minister and panel member, Helen Clark says there were catastrophic results globally, because most waited to see how the virus was spreading, until it was too late to contain it.

Health workers carry a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 to a critical care unit at a hospital in Kolkata , India , on 12 May 2021 Source: AAP