Editing Pandemic (section)

== Prevention and preparedness ==
{{Main|Pandemic prevention}}
[[File:Pandemic_prevention_infographic.png|thumb|Infographic illustrating the benefits of a treaty for pandemic prevention]]
Pandemic '''prevention''' comprises activities such as anticipatory research and development of therapies and vaccines, as well as monitoring for pathogens and disease outbreaks which may have pandemic potential.<ref name="PP_Why">{{Cite web | vauthors = Williams N |date=6 July 2022 |title=What is Pandemic Preparedness and Why is it Important? |url=https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Pandemic-Preparedness-and-Why-is-it-Important.aspx |access-date=20 August 2023 |website=News Medical Network |language=en}}</ref> [[Routine vaccinations|Routine vaccination]] programs are a type of prevention strategy, holding back diseases such as [[influenza]] and [[polio]] which have caused pandemics in the past, and could do so again if not controlled.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 September 2022 |title=14 Diseases You Almost Forgot About (Thanks to Vaccines) |url=https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |language=en-us}}</ref> Prevention overlaps with '''preparedness''' which aims to curtail an outbreak and prevent it getting out of control - it involves strategic planning, data collection and modelling to measure the spread, stockpiling of therapies, vaccines, and medical equipment, as well as public health awareness campaigning.<ref>{{Cite web | vauthors = Campbell K |date=15 November 2022 |title=3 Steps to Detect and Stop Disease Outbreaks before They Become Pandemics |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/3-steps-to-detect-and-stop-disease-outbreaks-before-they-become-pandemics/ |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=Scientific American |language=en}}</ref> By definition, a pandemic involves many countries so international cooperation, data sharing, and collaboration are essential; as is universal access to tests and therapies.<ref name="PP_Why" />

'''Collaboration''' – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO established a Pandemic Hub in September 2021 in Berlin, aiming to address weaknesses around the world in how countries detect, monitor and manage public health threats. The Hub's initiatives include using artificial intelligence to analyse more than 35,000 data feeds for indications of emerging health threats, as well as improving facilities and coordination between academic institutions and WHO member countries.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Morgan O, Pebody R | title = The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence; supporting better preparedness for future health emergencies | journal = Euro Surveillance | volume = 27 | issue = 20 | pages = 2200385 | date = May 2022 | pmid = 35593162 | pmc = 9121660 | doi = 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.20.2200385 }}</ref>

'''Detection''' – In May 2023, WHO launched the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) (hosted by the Pandemic Hub) aiming to detect and respond to disease threats before they become epidemics and pandemics, and to optimize routine disease surveillance. The network provides a platform to connect countries, improving systems for collecting and analysing samples of potentially harmful [[pathogen]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 May 2023 |title=WHO launches global network to detect and prevent infectious disease threats |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/20-05-2023-who-launches-global-network-to--detect-and-prevent-infectious-disease-threats |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=World Health Organization |language=en}}</ref> [[Wastewater-based epidemiology|Wastewater surveillance]] can for example provide early warnings by detecting pathogens in sewage.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 February 2024 |title=How sewers are helping us to monitor disease outbreaks |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240213-how-sewers-are-helping-us-to-monitor-disease-outbreaks |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref>

'''Therapies and vaccines''' – The [[Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations]] (CEPI) is developing a program as part of their 2022–2026 pandemic plan to condense new vaccine development timelines to 100 days, less than a third of the time it took to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Gouglas D, Christodoulou M, Hatchett R |date=March 2023 |title=The 100 Days Mission—2022 Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit |journal=Emerg Infect Dis |volume=29 |issue=3 |page=e221142 |doi=10.3201/eid2903.221142 |pmc=9973700 |pmid=}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Saville M, Cramer JP, Downham M, Hacker A, Lurie N, Van der Veken L, Whelan M, Hatchett R |date=14 July 2022 |title=Delivering Pandemic Vaccines in 100 Days - What Will It Take? |journal=N Engl J Med |volume=387 |issue=2 |page=e3 |doi=10.1056/NEJMp2202669 |pmc= |pmid=35249271}}</ref> In the US, the [[National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]] (NIAID) has developed a Pandemic Preparedness Plan which focuses on identifying viruses of concern and developing diagnostics and therapies (including prototype vaccines) to combat them.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2021 |title=Pandemic Preparedness |url=https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/pandemic-preparedness |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2021 |title=NIAID Pandemic Preparedness Plan (pdf) |url=https://www.niaid.nih.gov/sites/default/files/pandemic-preparedness-plan.pdf |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases}}</ref>

'''Modeling''' is important to inform policy decisions. It helps to predict the burden of disease on healthcare facilities, the effectiveness of control measures, projected geographical spread, and timing and extent of future pandemic waves.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 2022 |title=Technical report on the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK - Chapter 5: modelling |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-report-on-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-the-uk/chapter-5-modelling |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=Department of Health & Social Care |language=en}}</ref>

'''Public awareness''' involves disseminating reliable information, ensuring consistency in message, transparency, and steps to discredit [[misinformation]].<ref>{{Cite report | vauthors = Bellantoni A, Badr K, Alfonsi C |url=https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/governance/transparency-communication-and-trust_bef7ad6e-en |title=Transparency, communication and trust: The role of public communication in responding to the wave of disinformation about the new Coronavirus |series=OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19) |date=3 July 2020 |publisher=Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |doi=10.1787/bef7ad6e-en |language=en |access-date=21 August 2023|doi-access=free }}</ref>

'''Air quality''' – Enhanced indoor [[Ventilation (architecture)|ventilation]] and [[air filtration]] systems are also effective at reducing [[Airborne transmission|transmission of airborne pathogens]], while providing additional health benefits beyond pandemic control.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-24 |title=The two big pandemic investments we still need to make |url=https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/23316936/covid-19-pandemic-spending-cost-effective-vaccines-ventilation-filtration-air-quality |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}</ref>

'''Stockpiling''' involves maintaining strategic [[Stockpiling antiviral medications for pandemic influenza|stockpiles]] of emergency supplies such as [[personal protective equipment]], drugs and vaccines, and equipment such as respirators. Many of these items have limited [[shelf life]], so they require [[stock rotation]] even though they may be rarely used.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 July 2022 | vauthors = Lovelace Jr B, Bauer T, Torres J |title=A rare look inside the Strategic National Stockpile — and how it went wrong at the start of the pandemic |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rare-look-strategic-national-stockpile-went-wrong-start-pandemic-rcna32603 |access-date=21 August 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>

=== Ethical and political issues ===
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a number of ethical and political issues which must be considered during a pandemic. These included decisions about who should be prioritised for treatment while resources are scarce; whether or not to make vaccination compulsory; the timing and extent of constraints on individual liberty, how to sanction individuals who do not comply with emergency regulations, and the extent of international collaboration and resource sharing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 May 2023 |title=Are we ethically prepared for Disease X? |url=https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-05-02-are-we-ethically-prepared-disease-x |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=University of Oxford |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Savulescu |first1=Julian |title=Pandemic Ethics |last2=Wilkinson |first2=Dominic |date=1 May 2023 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780192871688 |location=Oxford, UK}}</ref>