How it all Started: The Need to Research Causes of Covid-19
We are now entering our second year of living with the many challenges posed by the Covid-19 virus, and throughout our global community, the focus on finding solutions has taken on varied forms. From implementing strict social distancing measures, remote work policies, and halting non-essential travel to curb the spread internationally, to developing a multitude of lifesaving vaccines and therapeutics, we are using nearly every tool in our arsenal to mitigate the virus.
Vaccines have taken on significant importance and been the primary focus of our attention as of late, and I do agree that vaccines are crucial as we try to return to a sense of normalcy. Though a Covid-19 vaccine may be a good and necessary solution, for now, I still believe that we aren’t adequately addressing the bigger problem of the increasing frequency of emerging viruses that have the potential to cause devastating future pandemics.
Mysteries abound when it comes to determining the origins of Covid-19, and it’s clear to me and others that much more needs to be done in researching the root causes that led to it becoming the international crisis that persists to this day. Governing bodies like the World Health Organization have made announcements voicing the crucial need to do more studies and gather more data to properly locate the source of the virus, and by doing so, hopefully, reduce the risk of something like this ever happening again.
One thing does remain clear, though. Viruses mutate and change constantly. New ones are discovered and emerge, following a pattern throughout history, causing crises that have shaped cultures, upended civilizations, and changed the trajectory of the human race itself. There will be another pandemic, undoubtedly. The question remains as to if we are adequately prepared for it.
Scientists also know that most of the diseases and viruses that have the potential to become pandemics originate in animals. These ‘zoonotic’ diseases travel much more efficiently than before, with the rise of globalization and the altering of animal habitats. This BBC series identifies just a few of the animals and diseases that could fuel the next pandemic, and we have to learn how to stop them in their tracks before the next crisis hits.
Understanding how an epidemic or a pandemic begins is essential to mitigating the effects of the next one. We’ll need collaboration, cooperation across international borders, a robust and early response, and more to achieve this. And perhaps most importantly, we’ll need to devote more attention and research to discover the source of these viruses and how they emerge to stand a chance against the next one.
What exactly have we learned from our response to Covid-19? This question still requires an answer, and all of us as leaders need to take a long and hard look at what went wrong and what could have been done differently, not only in our own countries and communities but also around the world. The immense amount of money and manpower devoted to the vaccine and medical research is undoubtedly crucial, especially to save lives, but I also believe that equal attention must be paid to understanding how Covid-19 came about in the first place.
The consequences of inaction on this front are far too great, and only by researching the different causes and trajectories of this and other pandemics can we stand a fighting chance in preventing the next one from forever changing our lives. The threat is certainly not gone, and there’s more that can be done to keep us prepared for the next inevitable global pandemic. But I also know there is so much hope for the future, and I believe that by coming together and devoting more time and resources to researching this, we can truly be stronger in the fight against all viruses and diseases.
