Blair says collaboration on Covid could have cut three months off crisis

Former prime minister tells the Guardian the world must be better prepared for the next pandemic

World leaders could have cut the length of the Covid outbreak by three months if they had collaborated on vaccines, testing and drugs, Tony Blair has claimed as he launched a report on preparing for the next deadly pandemic.

The former Labour prime minister urged the UK to take the lead in developing a new health security infrastructure" that would ensure countries coordinate better in identifying emerging new threats as well as developing, testing and manufacturing vaccines and treatments.