Preventing the next pandemic

Many viruses co-exist quite happily with their hosts in their natural habitat. But with the loss of biodiversity comes the increased risk of zoonotic transmission from wildlife to humans. Reckless deforestation, aggressive conversion of wildland for economic development and the destruction of entire eco-systems open the gates to cross-transmitted pathogens. 

As the distance between farms, people and wildlife closes, humans are suddenly coming into increasingly regular contact with animals and the viruses they carry.

Even seemingly small environmental changes, like a livestock farm being built next to a natural forest, can have massive disease related outcomes.

There is clear evidence that there is a relationship between air pollution and COVID-19.

The more polluted the area, the greater the likelihood of dying from respiratory coronavirus. Even in a corona-free world, outdoor air pollution kills around 4.2 million people worldwide each year. So, tackling air pollution will be a crucial part of preparing ourselves for a new outbreak or a new pandemic. 

Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the way cities are built, maintained, and lived in? 

A Harvard study has highlighted the close link between emissions and public health and also notes how both can stall economic growth. The regulated reduction of pollution should be considered as both a benefit to public health and a major economic incentive. The intensive use of fossil fuels and cars is not the way to aid economic recovery and it’s certainly not the way to protect the public from COVID-19.  

Perhaps it’s time to overhaul how think about our health as a total package.

Rising levels of chronic diseases are tied into bad diet and unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive alcohol intake and can be averted by changing our habits and modifying our behaviours. Sleep deprivation, poor living conditions and stress also have a big effect on weakening the human immune system. Investing in an advance diagnostic healthcare system that helps people take action to reduce their risk of illness could be the first step forward. 

If we are to manage future pandemics better than we have COVID-19, we need to create a global viral-defence department.

Its aim would be to embark on a broad range of vital global projects. Everything from developing pan-viral vaccine platforms and medicines to the continuous monitoring of disease hot spots and the identification of potential high-risk viruses, both known and unknown.