 Today, as we face the coronavirus pandemic, I am calling for a sanction that may affect the health sector to be eased or suspended. This needs to happen to protect the lives and rights of millions of people and for global public health reasons. The danger is that this will cause further suffering and death and indeed wider contagion across the world. Burnable people in these countries are in no way responsible for the policies targeted by the sanctions. We have been living in a precarious situation for a long time. We urgently need to see broad practical exemptions for humanitarian reasons. Essential medical equipment and supplies must not be held up by sanctions. It is especially important to protect the health of health workers themselves. And authorities should never punish medical professionals for pointing out deficiencies in the response to the crisis. This under sanction should also be open about what is happening and what they are doing. They should accept offers of vital aid and prioritize the needs and rights of vulnerable people. They should also guarantee that national and international organizations are able to carry out their humanitarian work. It is vital to avoid the collapse of any health system. We need to step up international cooperation and solidarity on these and other issues. At this dangerous time, in this interconnected world, we all rely on each other to hold back the advance of the coronavirus. Impeding medical efforts in one country will heighten the risk for all of us.