Global health specialists have issued a warning, suggesting that COVID-19 could just be a sign of a more catastrophic Disease X Pandemic to come, according to the Daily Mail. The head of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce, Dame Kate Bingham, expressed gratitude that COVID-19 was not more deadly and gave a dire warning that the next pandemic might kill at least 50 million people.
Disease X Pandemic
As COVID-19 becomes a more common and recurrent health issue, UK medical specialists are now preparing for a possible new pandemic called “Disease X.” They issue a warning that the terrible Spanish Flu of 1918–1920 may be comparable to the effects of this new virus. The World Health Organization has named this “Disease X Pandemic” and to fight it, vaccinations will once again need to be developed and supplied in a timely manner. However, there is currently no assurance that this will occur.
Concerns over “Disease X Pandemic,” a word that the World Health Organization created, are being raised by medical professionals. They alert us to the possibility that this next pandemic might kill 20 times as many people as the coronavirus did. Since the COVID-19 epidemic started in 2020, more than 2.5 million individuals have sadly died globally. These are the top ten things to know about Disease X.
How To Stop the Next Pandemic Before It Starts?
To prevent the onset of the next pandemic, we need to:
- Invest in Surveillance: Develop robust global surveillance systems to detect emerging threats early.
- Promote One Health: Recognize the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health to identify and mitigate risks.
- Responsible Antibiotic Use: Implement antimicrobial stewardship to combat drug-resistant pathogens.
- Strengthen Healthcare Systems: Build capacity in healthcare systems for both pandemic response and routine healthcare needs.
- Global Cooperation: Foster international collaboration in information sharing, resource allocation, and research efforts.
- Preparedness Plans: Develop comprehensive pandemic preparedness plans, including stockpiling essential supplies and rapid response teams.
What Is Most Likely To Cause The Next Disease X Pandemic Threat?
We’re not sure. However, six virus families the Adenoviridae, Coronaviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Picornaviridae, and Poxviridae among the roughly two dozen families that can infect humans possess these characteristics and are thus most likely to be the source of the next pandemic.
- No immunity – There is no inherent immunity among the global populace.
- Airborne – Spread via respiratory transmission
- Silent – Spreadable by sick individuals without symptoms
- Harmful – There are no current, efficient medications or vaccinations
How can we make Medical Countermeasures Without Knowing Which Disease (“DISEASE X”) Will Strike Next?
- By concentrating efforts on developing medicinal countermeasures against the viral families most likely to start pandemics rather than a particular virus that could or might not pose a hazard in the future.
- The US should provide funding for a brand-new, targeted Disease X Medical Countermeasure Program that makes use of the vaccination platforms and technology most suited to the virus families most likely to unleash devastating disease outbreaks in the future.
- When the next member of the viral family develops, medical countermeasures against one member might be readily modified to target another.
- Private-public collaborations might create vaccinations, antivirals, and diagnostics for a variety of unidentified possible pandemic viruses in months rather than years using this adaptable strategy.
The Looming Danger Of Disease X
The scientists’ warning mirrors the WHO’s prediction of an “inevitable” “Disease X” pandemic. The WHO created the name in 2018, before the COVID-19 epidemic. Among the WHO’s “Blueprint list of priority diseases” for the next lethal pandemic are Ebola, SARS, and Zika.
The WHO declared “Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease.” The Blueprint list includes infectious disorders without medicinal treatments. Some public health professionals fear the next Disease X will be zoonotic, like Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Covid-19.
The Need For Pandemic Preparedness
Covid-19, which killed 20 million people worldwide, was not the worst-case scenario, according to the authors. They note that the virus killed fewer people than Ebola, avian flu, and MERS. They argue that chance cannot prevent the next pandemic, which might be more lethal and infectious. “Most virus victims recovered. However, 67% of Ebola patients die. At 60%, bird flu is close behind. Even MERS reached 34%.
The next outbreak cannot be controlled, the author says. They suggest investing in vaccine research and development, strengthening health systems and surveillance, and improving global collaboration and coordination to prepare for pandemics. They claim the next epidemic is coming and the world must be prepared.
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