European Green Deal as social vaccine to overcome COVID-19 health & economic crisis

This study questions the COVID-19 emergency preparedness of European countries towards pandemics. It has been argued that this crisis results from the merging of an infectious epidemic and a number of underlying conditions including non-communicable diseases and frailties that recognise socio-economic inequalities as crucial predisposing or even prognostic factors. Moreover, COVID-19 is probably originating from endemic zoonosis and might be regarded in the light of ecosystems’ disequilibrium according to a comprehensive “One Health Approach”. Environmental pollution has been questioned to worsen COVID-19 epidemic outbreaks, as those areas experiencing the highest levels of air pollution seem to have suffered from the worst consequences of the pandemic.

There is a need for a “social vaccine” in addition to the biological one – tackling economic, environmental and social determinants of health – to overcome the current global crisis. The EU Green Deal must learn some lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, that highlighted the strict connections linking environment, health and economy.

Find the full study (in English) here.