CAT/C/70/2 44. Despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to its work, the Subcommittee appreciates the outstanding work undertaken by many national preventive mechanisms within the Optional Protocol system during the pandemic. The innovative ways in which they have approached their work has been a testament to their commitment to their role. That role has even greater importance owing to the increased restrictions and reduced transparency and oversight of places of detention that have resulted from the measures introduced in response to the spread of the coronavirus within most systems of detention. The Subcommittee has been evaluating the responses of States parties and of national preventive mechanisms to the pandemic and will be seeking to distil what lessons can be learned from those responses. On the immediate front, it is imperative that those States parties that have not yet established national preventive mechanisms in accordance with their Optional Protocol obligations – as outlined in detail in the thirteenth annual report of the Subcommittee – do so as a matter of urgency. The experience of the pandemic has once again underlined the crucial role played by national preventive mechanisms within the Optional Protocol system, including as the “front line” in the prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. VI. Plan of work 45. The Subcommittee has already announced visits to numerous countries, which remain to be undertaken. The Subcommittee will review and endeavour to undertake as many of its previously announced visits as is appropriate in the coming year in the light of the evolving situation regarding the global pandemic. In accordance with its established practice, further announcements concerning future visits may be made after future sessions. 10