Giving Compass' Take:
- Here are critical steps society needs to take to prevent another pandemic.
- One of the steps is to expand on the research that has been done so far. What can donors do to keep supporting and strengthening research efforts?
- Learn about using statistics to prepare for the next pandemic.
What is Giving Compass?
We connect donors to learning resources and ways to support community-led solutions. Learn more about us.
The risk of another pandemic is high.
Our 21st century way of life increases this risk. Climate change, intensive farming and international travel, enable diseases to spread across the world faster than ever before.
As the Omicron variant spreads across the world at rapid speed, we are reminded yet again of the need for global networks that work together to identify and stop infectious disease.
The task facing world leaders now, even as they continue to deal with Covid-19, is to work together to ensure we are better prepared for the next outbreak. There are two paths world leaders can take.
It’s a little like Aesop’s fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper – a story about the virtues of planning for the future. Like the ants in the fable, we could learn from Covid-19, stock-up, prepare and keep watch as a global community.
Or policymakers could breathe a sigh of relief, hope nothing like this happens again, and carry on much as before.
Governments cannot make the same mistakes again. And they must work together to strengthen global health systems to better prevent, prepare for and respond to the next pandemic.
Here’s how:
- Improve global coordination and leadership
- Provide a sound financial footing for pandemic preparedness and response
- Invest in the gaps in infrastructure to monitor and respond to threats
Read the full article about preparing for another pandemic at Wellcome.