Beating coronavirus requires the one thing the world routinely fails at – working together

We have an obligation to help our neighbours with whom we share this planet, writes Hilary Benn. Their survival, as well as our own, depends on it

Medicine without borders: we need a joint fight against this dreadful disease (PA)

The last few weeks have brought out the best in our communities in the face of great adversity. People looking out for their neighbours, ensuring that the most vulnerable have access to food, and checking in with friends and family who live alone. Twenty thousand former nurses, carers and doctors have rejoined the NHS to offer their skills and experience and 750,000 members of the public have come forward to volunteer and help in whatever way they can. All of this is a reminder that the UK is, at heart, a caring and a generous country.

But as our nation has come together, the continued global spread of coronavirus is a reminder that diseases do not respect national borders. With over 3 million cases now confirmed around the world, we need a huge international effort to combat this virus. Sadly, the same sort of community spirit that we have seen in many countries has been in short supply internationally so far.