Infectious disease, pandemics, and education

Abstract

Historically, nations have always struggled against infectious diseases, from bubonic plague to COVID-19. Scientifically, we know more and more about infectious diseases, but this knowledge alone is not sufficient. Measures against pandemics need to be explained and set in the societal context. Public education by scientists has always played an essential role in the handling of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has impressively documented that science functions as a reliable authority for political decisions. Trust in science is, therefore, academia’s most crucial capital. Not trust in individual researchers or single institutions, but trust in science as a collaborative process. Science should advise politicians on their findings’ current status and make recommendations for action, but not decide those actions. As part of a scientist’s obligation, science communication during a crisis should have a significant role in the training of future scientists. In this chapter, the measures against pandemics are set into historical context and which role education always has played in their handling.