What lessons can be learned from the management of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Quinn, Gerry A., Connolly, Ronan, ÓhAiseadha, Coilín, Hynds, Paul, Bagus, Philipp, Brown, Ronald B., Cáceres, Carlos F., Craig, Clare, Connolly, Michael, Domingo, Jose L., Fenton, Norman, Frijters, Paul, Hatfill, Steven, Heymans, Raymond, Joffe, Ari R., Jones, Rosamond, Lauc, Gordan, Lawrie, Therese, Malone, Robert W., Mordue, Alan, Mushet, Greta, O’Connor, Anton, Orient, Jane, Peña-Ramos, José Antonio, Risch, Harvey A., Rose, Jessica, Sánchez-Bayón, Antonio, Savaris, Ricardo F., Schippers, Michaéla C., Simandan, Dragos, Sikora, Karol, Soon, Willie, Shir-Raz, Yaffa, Spandidos, Demetrios A., Spira, Beny, Tsatsakis, Aristides M. and Walach, Harald (2025) What lessons can be learned from the management of the COVID-19 pandemic? International Journal of Public Health, 70. ISSN 1661-8556

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Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2023), governments around the world implemented an unprecedented array of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. From early 2021, these were accompanied by major population-wide COVID-19 vaccination programmes-often using novel mRNA/DNA technology, although some countries used traditional vaccines. Both the NPIs and the vaccine programmes were apparently justified by highly concerning model projections of how the pandemic could progress in their absence. Efforts to reduce the spread of misinformation during the pandemic meant that differing scientific opinions on each of these aspects inevitably received unequal weighting. In this perspective review, based on an international multi-disciplinary collaboration, we identify major problems with many aspects of these COVID-19 policies as they were implemented. We show how this resulted in adverse impacts for public health, society, and scientific progress. Therefore, we propose seven recommendations to reduce such adverse consequences in the future.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 The Author(s)
Divisions:	Social Policy
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Date Deposited:	20 Jun 2025 15:15
Last Modified:	07 Jul 2025 16:03
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/128505

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