Public Health Regulations and Policies Dealing with Preparedness and Emergency Management: The Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Worldwide, the management of health emergencies requires a high degree of preparedness and resilience on the part of governments and health systems. Indeed, disasters are becoming increasingly common, with significant health, social, and economic impacts. Living in a globalized world also means that emergencies that occur in one country often have an international, in some cases global, spread: the COVID-19 pandemic is a cogent example. The key elements in emergency management are central governance, coordination, investment of resources before the emergency occurs, and preparedness to deal with it at all levels. However, several factors might condition the response to the emergency, highlighting, as for Italy, strengths and weaknesses. In this context, policies and regulation of actions to be implemented at international and national level must be up-to-date, clear, transparent and, above all, feasible and implementable. Likewise, the allocation of resources to develop adequate preparedness plans is critical. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission proposed the temporary recovery instrument NextGenerationEU, as well as a targeted reinforcement of the European Union's long-term budget for the period 2021-2027. The pandemic highlighted that it is necessary to interrupt the continuous defunding of the health sector, allocating funds especially in prevention, training and information activities: indeed, a greater and more aware public attention on health risks and on the impacts of emergencies can help to promote virtuous changes, sharing contents and information that act as a guide for the population.

Automated summary

Effective management and preparation are vital in dealing with health emergencies worldwide. The increasing frequency of disasters has significant impacts on health, society, and economy. Governments and health systems need centralized governance, coordination, and pre-allocation of resources to effectively respond to emergencies. The response to emergencies can be influenced by various factors, exposing both strengths and weaknesses. Clear, up-to-date, transparent, and feasible policies and regulations at the international and national levels are crucial. Allocating sufficient resources to develop preparedness plans is essential. Public attention and awareness of health risks and the impacts of emergencies can play a significant role in promoting positive changes and sharing informative content.