Are we actually prepared for subsequent pandemic?

The significance of making ready our nation and state for the subsequent pandemic can’t be overstated.

The lethal COVID 19 pandemic highlighted our many public well being vulnerabilities underscoring the necessity for a greater, complete and coordinated response on the native, state, and federal ranges.

In his new ebook, “The Large One: How We Should Put together For Future Lethal Pandemics,” infectious illness professional Dr. Michael Osterholm writes that as unhealthy as COVID 19 was, “the subsequent pandemic is lurking across the nook and it might very nicely be worse.” He states that if we’re going to survive the subsequent massive one, we should be ready now.

In a quickly altering world, pandemics can emerge from a number of sources, whether or not they be pure, unintentional and even deliberate. Terrorist teams have traditionally proven curiosity in exploiting organic brokers as weapons, posing a grave threat to public well being, nationwide safety and financial stability.

It’s unlucky that in the course of the present authorities shutdown, extremely skilled analysts on the Facilities for Illness Management liable for monitoring and defending the US from organic and chemical assaults, weaponized pathogens and rising ailments, have been advised to not report back to work as a result of they have been deemed nonessential federal workers. There is no such thing as a assure that they are going to be allowed to return to their jobs as soon as the shutdown is over as President Trump has hinted extra federal layoffs are anticipated. This places the nation in danger as illness monitoring and response is a 24/7 important job completed by the specialists on the CDC.

The US, given its international interconnectedness and prominence, is especially susceptible to pandemic threats simply as we’re susceptible to the rising variety of international cyber-attacks. Preparedness should subsequently be a nationwide precedence of readiness, with every state taking part in a essential position in sustaining its personal readiness whereas contributing to the nationwide response technique.

The Massachusetts Division of Public Well being is taking readiness significantly. It was gratifying to see DPH unveil its new emergency provide warehouse in Franklin that strengthens the state’s skill to reply rapidly with provides, gear and medical sources wanted throughout a pandemic or different severe public well being emergencies. The 75,000-square-foot warehouse homes greater than 21 million objects, starting from private protecting gear to refrigerated medical merchandise.

Finally pandemic preparedness is a matter of nationwide safety and public well being. Whereas the specter of bioterrorism is critical, the extra probably case is the emergence of a pure pandemic, as was the case of COVID. The speedy, coordinated response by a well-staffed CDC and their state companions to such occasions is essential in stopping large-scale losses of life and financial devastation.

Billerica resident Rick Pozniak, a disaster and threat communications skilled, served because the COVID communications professional for the New England Society of Well being Care Communications.