Is more dangerous pandemic than COVID possible?
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has recently made a statement that the world might soon face much more dangerous pandemics than coronavirus infection. We have asked an epidemiologist to learn more.
“All pandemics and large-scale epidemics in the 21st century originated from the animal world and were caused by viruses. With this in mind, two most possible features of future pandemics are already known: viral aetiology and zoonotic infection. Although it is impossible to predict the exact time and character of a new pandemic, there is definitely a probability of its outbreak,” Grigory Chistenko, a Doctor of Medical Sciences and Professor of the Epidemiology Department at the Belarusian State Medical University, asserts.
“In this regard, an increasing number of scientific publications urge to follow not certain types of viruses, bats, rodents or other animals, but the formation of conditions when various wildlife species closely neighbour humans. In these conditions, it is extremely important that society as a whole and each of us in particular realise that people’s penetration into the wildlife must be very careful, cautious and delicate. This will be our contribution to the prevention of a new pandemic,” he added.
