The COVID-19 pandemic is a reflection of how worse pandemics during today’s times could be not just for the economy but also for the overall well-being of the world and the humans that live in it. But even though we do not want to suffer another pandemic in the future, it is impossible because our world is now vulnerable to a range of undiscovered and unknown zoonotic diseases. But infectious diseases aren’t just the threat to mankind, surging demand for wild meat, environmental destruction, climate change and intense unsustainable farming could unleash future pandemics. The only way to prevent future zoonotic pandemics is to start acting now and taking responsibility to bring reforms and address the issues with a collective approach.
To prevent future outbreaks of novel zoonotic diseases, we must tackle the root causes of their growth. We must break down silos, invest in programs for public health, farm sustainably, avoid over-exploitation of biodiversity, restore land and ecosystem health and minimize climate change. It is important to consider social and economic problems that hinder zoonotic disease control, such as poverty, inequity in health care, waste management and the quadruple burden of disease faced by the population.
