UK mulls “Global Pandemic Radar” to tackle COVID-19 variants

British government Friday launched plans for a new "Global Pandemic Radar" to identify emerging COVID-19 variants and track new diseases around the world, reported Xinhua.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will lead an implementation group, supported by the Wellcome Trust, to launch this new international partnership to identify, track and share data on new COVID-19 variants and monitor vaccine resistance in populations, according to a statement from the British government.

The "Global Pandemic Radar" is expected to be fully up and running with a network of surveillance hubs before the end of 2021, the statement also said.

"We need to build a system of disease surveillance fit for the 21st century, with real-time data sharing and rapid genomic sequencing and response," said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the statement.

"A 'Global Pandemic Radar' will ensure that we are vigilant to new variants and emerging pathogens, and can rapidly develop the vaccines and treatments needed to stop them in their tracks," he said.