Experts Predict Disease X Could Make COVID-19 Outbreak Look Mild
HOUSTON – Could the next pandemic make the height of the COVID-19 outbreak look mild? That’s what some experts predict for what’s being called Disease X.
“I am very worried that we as a nation, we haven’t made that commitment to fully protect the American people,” explains Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and Co-Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development.
Dr. Hotez, an internationally recognized physician, researcher, and scientist, spoke with FOX 26’s Damali Keith about the potential severity of Disease X.
“We have a likelihood that new pandemic threats, what people are calling the Disease X, are going to be arising on a regular basis,” says Dr. Hotez. He believes that Disease X, the next pandemic, could hit hard whenever it arrives.
Dr. Hotez goes on to explain that while COVID-19 may seem severe, the next pandemic could be even worse. “You know, I’ve written about this as well, that COVID-19 is just a warmup act. The next pandemic may not be as severe, but it could be much more severe,” he warns.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the next pandemic, Dr. Hotez emphasizes the importance of being prepared.
After the occurrence of various pandemics, including SARS, H1N1, Ebola, and Zika, Dr. Hotez believes more should be done to prevent future outbreaks.
“Having the funds available to make countermeasures for new diagnostics, new vaccines, and at the same time being able to support the virologists, the scientists who actually study these pathogens,” says Dr. Hotez.
The increase in pandemics can be attributed to various factors, such as climate change.
“It’s one of the most common questions I’m asked. It’s a confluence of 21st-century forces. A big one is climate change, which is altering the migration of animals that can transmit these viral pathogens,” explains Dr. Hotez.
While the exact timeline of Disease X remains unknown, experts agree that it is inevitable.
Overall, the focus on pandemic preparedness and investment in research and development is crucial in combating future outbreaks.