Past, Present, and Future of Pandemics: Preparedness and First Defences

Abstract

As expected, debate and expert discussion at the 32nd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (ECCMID) in April 2022 was set to the backdrop of COVID-19, focusing on the lessons learnt throughout the pandemic and looking to mitigating risks of future pandemics. In a session on the third day of ECCMID 2022, specialists took a holistic view, presenting evidence and testimony on past pandemics alongside a look to the future, emphasising the value of pandemic preparedness and first-line defences. Nicholas Grassly, Vaccine Epidemiology Research Group (VERG), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, UK, drew parallels between the polio pandemic of the past and COVID-19 in regard to the impact on populations and response of the scientific community. Nicola Petrosillo, National Institute for Infectious Diseases (INMI) Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy, discussed the impact of COVID-19 on influenza prevalence, highlighting challenges arising from co-infections with two increasingly endemic viruses.