Contributor(s): Dr Miqdad Asaria, Dr José-Luis Fernandez, Professor Alistair McGuire, Dr Clare Wenham | The UK has long been a global leader in preparing for pandemics. However, the COVID-19 crisis has exposed weaknesses in Britain’s public health strategies. Academic experts from LSE’s Department of Health Policy in the fields of pandemic response, social care and health inequalities will consider pandemic response from a number of different angles, comparing responses across international health systems and decision-making and suggesting what the next steps should be for the UK and internationally. Miqdad Asaria (@miqedup) is a health economist with extensive experience in both academic and policy making settings. His research interests include health inequalities and health financing. His research in the COVID-19 space relates to the disproportionate effect among the BAME community. José-Luis Fernandez (@joselele) is Director of the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre, LSE. A health and social care economist, José Luis specialises in ageing-related policies, the interaction between health and social care, and the economic evaluation of health and social care systems and services. He is pioneering resources to support community and institutional long-term care responses to COVID-19. Alistair McGuire is Chair of Health Economics in the Department of Health Policy. His research interests cover all topics in health economics, including international comparisons, economics of the hospital, public/private sector interface and cost-effectiveness analysis of health technologies.