'We are not ready...': Top scientist warns another pandemic is 'absolutely inevitable'

Patrick Vallance, the former chief scientific adviser to the British government, has warned that another pandemic is “absolutely inevitable” and urged the incoming government to prioritise preparations. Speaking at the Hay Festival in Powys, Vallance emphasised that the country is not yet ready for another outbreak.

He stressed that the next government must implement better surveillance systems to detect emerging threats quickly. He reiterated his message to G7 leaders in 2021, advocating for rapid diagnostic tests, vaccines, and treatments to avoid the extreme measures seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures, Vallance believes, are feasible but require coordinated efforts, reported The Guardian.

“We know we have to have an army, not because there’s going to be a war this year, but because it’s an important part of what we need as a nation,” he said, according to The Guardian report.

He warned against cutting funding for pandemic preparedness just because there is no immediate threat.

Vallance also mentioned the World Health Organization’s pandemic accord as a positive step, but criticised the lack of focus and urgency. He cautioned that if pandemic preparedness falls off the G7 and G20 agendas, the world will be unprepared for the next outbreak.

He also addressed the efficiency of public inquiries, suggesting that a faster, more effective process is needed.