Researchers at Colorado State University are already turning their focus to preventing the next pandemic.
The university just received a $2 million grant from the Anschutz Foundation to focus on studying the nature of zoonotic diseases, and how to develop strong countermeasures, including better testing methods and vaccines.
“We've seen, over the last 40 years, a rate of emergence of new viruses and new pathogens that's on the increase and I don't expect that that trend is going to change,” said Raymond Goodrich, executive director of the Infectious Disease Research Center at CSU.
Part of the work will also focus on the social response to pandemics, and determining how to better educate the public about prevention measures, including vaccines.
“All the science in the world will not be helpful if we don't use the products and the services that emerge from the research and the work that we're doing,” Goodrich said.
He said understanding the social aspects of messaging and reaching historically underserved communities will be incredibly important before the next pandemic.
