A review of the initial response to the Wuhan virus by an independent panel, co-chaired by former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, highlights that when it comes to containing global health emergencies, the World Health Organization is about as useful as a tit on a bull.

Clark’s review found that the WHO was too slow in declaring a public health emergency in January 2020, and in those crucial early weeks, when the coronavirus could have been contained in regional China, faffed about instead of galvanising itself into action, altering world leaders and showing some leadership.