How to Stop the Next Outbreak from Becoming a Pandemic

(Scientific American) The emergency phase of COVID-19 might have passed, but it remains fresh in the minds of politicians and the public. This is a unique moment to learn from the global response. More outbreaks of infectious disease are inevitable. But it is possible to stop many of them turning into pandemics. The past 20 years of outbreaks—not only of COVID-19, but also Zika, Ebola, swine flu, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)—can teach us how to improve global health security. Preparing for future pandemics involves strengthening the entire chain of the outbreak response, from identifying a pathogen through to mass vaccination.