Op-ed: How to Prepare for the Next Pandemic | Mike Bloomberg

Another pandemic is coming. The question isn't if, it's when. And the next pandemic might be more deadly than this one. We must be better prepared than we were for COVID-19, and we have a long way to go. There are a number of important steps we can take to get there, and we can start right away. These steps include more virus research and genetic sequencing, better local reporting systems to alert us if anything is unusual, stronger platforms for vaccine development and rollout, more global coordination, and more engagement and communication to fight disinformation and misconceptions. It's also critically important to address the growing problem of non-communicable diseases, also known as NCDs. Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease can be deadly on their own, and they have been a major factor in COVID-19 hospitalizations and death. We know how to prevent them through things like reducing tobacco use, supporting healthier diets, and fighting air pollution. We just have to do much more of it. We can prepare for the next pandemic and start saving more lives today, and this work can't wait until the threat of COVID-19 is passed. It must begin now.