The impact of COVID-19 on global tuberculosis control

March 24 is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day. In many countries, events marking World TB Day in 2020 were cancelled as national lockdowns began. This was not due to TB, but the ‘other pandemic’ and the year will be remembered as one where the virus SARS-CoV-2 and its disease COVID-19 dominated global health and disrupted national economies. Its direct effect has been felt in every country; its secondary impact has played out on other global diseases such as TB. The United Nations Secretary General's 2020 progress report on TB1 recognized the potential for a loss of focus on the persisting crisis of TB and included as one of the 10 priority recommendations for actions needed to accelerate progress towards global TB…