Community pandemic response: the importance of action led by communities and the public sector

Abstract

The world faces multiple intersecting pandemics: COVID-19 and mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) have joined HIV/AIDS and a current outbreak of Ebola virus disease to create a dangerous global disease environment. Climate change is making outbreaks more likely.1 An important question for global health policy is which elements should be considered essential to effective pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR). As the world considers a new international PPR convention or agreement and financing mechanisms, we propose that strong community infrastructure is a necessary element that has been insufficiently addressed in PPR frameworks.