In the tough times of coronavirus, Coronavirus Czar/Tsar is someone who is in charge of any nation’s COVID-19 response team. The person is also regarded as a point person for COVID-related information and development.
The phrase “Coronavirus Czar” is making rounds in the media since early this year after the coronavirus situation went out of hand. It is a trending topic that everyone is looking for on the Internet. Particularly, the media and Internet heated up after the US President Donald Trump appointed Vice President Mike Pence as Coronavirus Czar in April 2020.
Though Coronavirus Czar is the top official who is responsible for the prevention and control of the pandemic, many other experts working under him/her are also termed as other Czars. For instance, Testing Czar is a virus testing expert, and an expert on vaccine development is called Vaccine Czar. These other Czars join hand in hand with the point person – Coronavirus Czar – to fight against the virus in their respective countries.
Present, past meanings of the word Czar
As per the Vocabulary.com, the word Czar has a modern meaning: People in charge of something important. However, originally the word Czar comes from the Russian language. In the past, the ruler of Russia held the title of Czar. Until the beginning of the 20th century, Russia’s ruler was a man who had absolute authority, like a monarch or a tyrant.
So, from the ancient meaning of the word Czar, the term is ideally adapted to anybody who acts as the authority of something. In addition to that, it’s much better suited to someone courageous enough to handle and bring in control crisis like Coronavirus. We are sure you agree that Coronavirus has upended the usual order of the world.
Without further ado, let’s find out some of the popular Coronavirus Czars around the world.
Mike Pence of the United States
United States Vice President, Mike Pence, is currently working as a Coronavirus Czar of America. Furthermore, he has been actively working as the top authority on coronavirus in the United States since April 2020. The US President Donald Trump appointed him the role. He is a well-known powerful figure who previously served as the 50th governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013.
Source: Wikimedia
Pence, the younger brother of US representative, Greg Pence, was born on June 7, 1959, in Columbus, Indiana. Talking about his education, he graduated from Hanover College in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Later, he earned a PhD degree in Law from the Robert-H. McKinney Law School in Indiana State in 1986.
Prof. Ronni Gamzu- Israeli Coronavirus Czar
Professor Ronni Gamzu, born in 1966, has been CEO of the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center since 2015 and chairs the National Health Basket Committee since 2017. As of now, he is popular as an Israeli Coronavirus Czar. He started his medical career at a hospital 25 years ago when he was a 3rd-year medical student. Besides, he is a Professor of Gynecology and Associate Professor of Public Health and Health & Business Administration.
Talking about his education, Ronni is a graduate of Tel Aviv University, earning a PhD degree in Public Health and Health & Busines Administration. Furthermore, he also has two MA degrees in business and health administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Law. He is a top authority on health issue in Israel.
Prof. Dr Christian Drosten- German Coronavirus Czar
Christian Drosten is a German virologist focusing on studies on emerging viruses. Drosten rose to national fame during the COVID-19 pandemic as a specialist on the implications and measures taken to tackle Germany’s epidemic situation. Due to his immense work in controlling coronavirus in Germany, he is now famous as the “country’s real face of the coronavirus crisis.”
Drosten was born in Lingen in 1972 and grew up in Groß Hesepe Emsland. He holds chemical engineering and a biology degree. He also studied medicine at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main and completed his third state examination in May 2000. Also, he has a doctorate, earning it from the Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology of the German Red Cross.
Prof. John Newton- UK’s COVID Testing Czar
Director of Health Improvement, Professor John Newton, is currently working as a Coronavirus testing Czar of the United Kingdom. Additionally, Newton is also famous as a Public Health and Epidemiology professor at the University of Manchester and the University of Exeter. Furthermore, he is also an academic epidemiologist at the University of Oxford. Unsurprisingly, he also chairs the WHO European Burden of Disease Network.
His other career highlight includes:
- Vice President of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH)
- Director of Health Data Insight CIC
- Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London (FRCP)
- Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH)
The British native, John Newton, was born on January 7, 1959. Talking about his education, Newton earned his Masters’s degree from Shrewsbury School, Trinity College, Oxford. Later, he attended King’s College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine for earning MBBA and Msc degree, respectively.
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