Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

An important question lingers five years after COVID-19 began its deadly spread: Is the world ready to face the next pandemic? The World Health Organization (WHO), at the forefront of the pandemic response, has been rallying global efforts to identify potential threats and ensure preparedness.

Although the UN health agency believes the world is more equipped than it was at the start of the COVID outbreak, it stresses that readiness is still far from sufficient.

View from the WHO:

When asked if the world is better prepared for the next pandemic, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded with a cautious “Yes and no.” He warned that even if another pandemic struck today, the world would still encounter many of the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

“But,” he added, “the world has learned many painful lessons from the pandemic and taken significant steps to strengthen its defenses.”

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, echoed this sentiment, stating it’s not a matter of if but when another pandemic will occur.

“There’s been considerable improvement since the 2009 (H1N1) flu pandemic and COVID-19,” she noted. “But I still believe the world isn’t fully prepared for another large-scale infectious disease outbreak.”

Expert Perspectives:

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, formed by WHO, had a blunt assessment: “In 2025, the world is not ready to tackle the next pandemic threat.” The panel cited persistent inequalities in access to funding and crucial pandemic-fighting tools, such as vaccines.

Renowned Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans highlighted the swift development of mRNA vaccines as a "game changer" for future pandemics. However, she warned that "increased vaccine hesitancy" and the surge in disinformation could pose significant challenges in vaccine distribution.

Meg Schaeffer, a disease epidemiologist at the US-based SAS Institute, noted it would take public health agencies four to five years to upgrade their systems to detect and share information more efficiently.

“No, I don’t think we’re more prepared than we were with COVID,” she said. “But I do believe society now understands the necessary steps to protect each other—like distancing, wearing masks, limiting travel.”

Mitigation Efforts:

Significant steps have been taken to prepare for the next pandemic. The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin collaborates on surveillance to detect and mitigate threats earlier. The World Bank’s Pandemic Fund has allocated $885 million in grants since 2022 to support nearly 50 projects across 75 countries.

Additionally, an mRNA technology transfer hub was established in South Africa to boost local vaccine production, and a Global Training Hub for Bio-manufacturing was set up in South Korea to improve pandemic response capabilities.

Despite these efforts, the global community remains cautiously aware: While strides have been made, it’s clear that more work is needed to ensure preparedness for the next global health crisis.An important question lingers five years after COVID-19 began its deadly spread: Is the world ready to face the next pandemic? The World Health Organization (WHO), at the forefront of the pandemic response, has been rallying global efforts to identify potential threats and ensure preparedness.

Although the UN health agency believes the world is more equipped than it was at the start of the COVID outbreak, it stresses that readiness is still far from sufficient.