We learned from the financial crisis. We can learn from the pandemic.

Yet, during the current crisis, despite our many failures in fighting the disease, we are talking very little about reforms. Early on during the pandemic we watched as governments in many countries failed on basic public health functions, such as testing, tracing, quarantining and clear public communication. Some learned and recovered, but many have simply been saved by the early arrival of vaccines. Almost none have begun to ask how to genuinely reorganize their health-care bureaucracies, to learn from countries that got it right, and to put in place new policies, procedures and frameworks to ensure better performance during the next pandemic — which will surely come.