Global Plan against Bird Flue to Prevent Future Pandemics and Protect Public Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense suffering for some people, with more than 6.8 million deaths reported and persistent long-term symptoms.

There are many other viruses that could cause future pandemics, so scientists proposed a line of experiments to identify viruses that have the four properties necessary to infect humans.

By detecting this virus early, new diagnostic tools can be developed to prevent the spread of new infections in humans. In addition to better surveillance and health systems, the root causes of zoonotic diseases such as deforestation, wildlife trade and climate change need to be addressed. The next pandemic is closer than we think and we must be prepared for it.

The proposed experimental pipeline, as outlined in the Science paper, would involve a series of tests to determine whether animal viruses have four key properties that make them capable of infecting humans. By identifying which viruses pose the highest zoonotic risk, researchers can quickly use diagnostic panels to detect new infections in humans. READ MORE