Public health in Europe in times of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has represented one of the greatest public health crises of recent times. One would have expected public health to be at the forefront of preparing for and dealing with a pandemic of this scale.  In practice, however, the role of public health in the response has varied substantially across countries.

In this collaborative project with the European Public Health Association (EUPHA), the Association of Schools of Public Health in Europe (ASPHER), EurohealthNet and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), WHO and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies are reviewing the role of public health agencies and services in responding to the pandemic.

The review seeks to identify examples, both positive and negative, that give insights into the state of public health and to reflect on how public health has performed and why. The outcomes provide some initial lessons for action to strengthen public health agencies and services in Europe.

The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies has produced and published a number of works on the subject including country snapshots and thematic vignettes.