Bill Gates calls failure to contain COVID-19 pandemic at early stages ‘Tragedy’

Moscow, Feb 20 (Sputnik) Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates condemned the failure of global leaders to preempt the spread of COVID-19 in his speech at the Munich Security Conference.
“It is a tragedy that the modest steps that would have been required to contain this epidemic weren’t taken in advance and so, given the trillions of dollars of damage and other deficits that are tough to measure, we should make the investment, the small number of billions we need to ensure ourselves that this never happens again,” Gates said.
Though the creation of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Gates, is a “triumph,” there are still ongoing issues that need to be addressed globally.
“The inequity is still quite dramatic,” the billionaire stressed.
This year’s special virtual edition of the Munich Security Conference, titled “Beyond Westlessness: Renewing Transatlantic Cooperation, Meeting Global Challenges,” has gathered world’s top decision-makers and country leaders to discuss the renewal of transatlantic alliances and highlight the areas where such cooperation is most needed.