Thoughts on the virus that has paralyzed the world
The pandemic and science
The outbreak of COVID-19 into our lives has highlighted the importance of science in dealing with an unprecedented health emergency. Scientific knowledge has played a key role in finding a vaccine to protect us from the virus, but also in adopting measures to contain the pandemic at all levels. Likewise, from science we can assess the social, political, environmental and economic impacts of the pandemic.
For all these reasons, COVID-19 and the world of viruses and their expansion are among the themes of this Biennial. The dialogue Viruses: Friend or Foes? provides an overview of current knowledge and how these microscopic agents, necessary for life, but which can also wreak havoc, are studied. Other activities, such as the round table Responsible use of data to address COVID-19, the debate Public Policies in the Face of COVID-19 or the proposals of the Science Festival Investigating how Antigen Tests Work, and Researching the Coronavirus in a Biocontainment Laboratory, provide an insight into some of the key collective and individual measures that have been taken in the political, health and everyday spheres to fight the pandemic.
There is no doubt that there is a before and an after COVID-19. In this sense, the Biennial also analyzes how the coronavirus has impacted people, their social relations, their daily lives and what the world will be like after this abrupt and generalized change. This is an example of the round table discussion Will COVID-19 Change our Political Life?, or the debate Citizen Reactions to Anti-COVID-19 Policies. Even proposals such as COVID-19 and food systems: a required debate analyze the link between the pandemic and other aspects such as the environment and the way we produce food for a population of more than 7.5 billion people.
If you think you've learned everything about COVID-19 in a year, don't miss the related proposals of the City and Science Biennial - you'll expand your knowledge even more!