Work in Parliament Coronavirus outbreak, state of play and ensuring a coordinated European response to the health, economic and social impact

Maria da Graça Carvalho participated today in a plenary debate in the European Parliament on the coronavirus outbreak, the state of play and assurance of a coordinated European response to the health, economic and social impact.

During her speech, the MEP mentioned, “the European Union must be much more than an economic and political Union. It must be a Union that protects its citizens and their well-being”

In this respect, Graça Carvalho stated that the fight against COVID-19 requires “greater coordination of efforts to contain the spread of the virus”; “further investment in scientific research, encouraging cooperation between centres of excellence in the field"; as well as an “articulated response to support businesses and economy”.

Graça Carvalho recalled that COVID-19 impact is not limited to the public health sector, but is already clear in several other sectors. In order to face economic and social challenges, it becomes “urgent to adopt measures to preserve jobs, avoid bankruptcies and prepare for recovery”.

To conclude, the MEP claimed that Europe must “prevent a temporary crisis from causing irreparable damage to people, the economy and society”.

At the plenary session of January 29, 2020, Maria da Graça Carvalho had already mentioned the significant contribute of Science and research in search of solutions for outbreak control, diagnostic tests, treatments and vaccine development.