As the first order of business, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority presented an overview of the first integrated smart algorithm for identifying potential scenarios and risks for the spread of epizootic and zoonotic diseases, and their impact on animal health.

Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) provided the latest information on the development of the COVID-19 vaccine and the use of stem cells for treatment. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation briefed the participants on the upcoming meetings of the Biological Weapons Convention in 2020 and 2021.

The next item on the agenda was the update of the National Biosecurity Strategy that seeks to enhance the country’s biosecurity, factor in the advancements in handling biological threats, as well as build capacities and improve readiness and responsiveness in biohazard detection and mitigation of biological threats through leveraging AI and big data.

The members received a briefing on the third edition of the manual for handling infectious biological waste that aims to educate workers in biological waste-producing facilities about associated risks and ways of mitigating them.

Furthermore, the Committee reviewed the status of the deliverables and recommendations of its last meeting. These included the National Plan for Fighting Zoonotic Diseases and Pandemics, the unified national guideline for using personal protective equipment (masks and protective suits), and the incorporation of biosecurity into the curricula of universities and other higher education institutions.