The playbook for new viruses

We have enough information to build a future playbook for new possible pandemics.

Step 1 — All countries monitor for the emergence of novel viruses. Local officials should not suppress such possibilities. Stores of PPE should be kept up to date and logistics centres for the rapid deployment of critical care beds need to be maintained. Logistics for testing centres also need to be in place globlly. A cadre of contact tracers needs to be kept at the ready.

Step 2 — Once a novel virus with a fatality rate higher than a prescribed boundary is identified a…