• It will be set up in Spiez, Switzerland. Under this agreement, the Spiez Biocontainment Laboratory will be made available to WHO and the lab will act as a repository for Sars-CoV-2 viruses or other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential.
  • The timely sharing of pathogens will allow the global scientific community to assess the risk and develop countermeasures (such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines) rapidly.
  • At present, pathogen sharing is done bilaterally between countries and on a temporary basis. This process is often slow and leaves many countries without access to benefits and tools.

Role of the Facility

i.The facility will serve as a center for safe receipt, sequencing, storage and preparation of biological materials for distribution to other labs, in order to inform risk assessments, and sustain global preparedness against the pathogens.