15th Japan-China-Korea Forum on Communicable Disease Control and Prevention held online

The 15th Japan-China-Korea Forum on Communicable Disease Control and Prevention was held via video link from Dec 9 to 10, 2021.

Led by George F. Gao, director-general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Dr. Takaji Wakita, director-general of Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), and Dr. Jeong Eun Kyeong, commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), over 80 experts from the three organizations attended the forum.

During the two-day event, experts from the three countries discussed COVID-19 vaccination and antibiotic resistance, and explored the latest research findings and progress of COVID-19 prevention and control efforts in each country.

As the host of the forum, Japan's NIID shared its experience on the strategies and measures of COVID-19 surveillance and prevention during the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In the annual bilateral with NIID and KDCA, Dr. Gao, Drs. Wakita and Jeong, were discussing issues of common concern, including COVID-19 vaccination, seasonal influenza, hepatitis E virus and tick-borne diseases.

The directors pledged to further strengthen technical exchanges and information sharing on the prevention and control of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. In addition, they agreed to make more efforts in scientific research to improve the infectious disease prevention and control capabilities of the three countries as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread.