Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the acting director for pandemic preparedness at the UN agency, emphasized the high risk of another pandemic threat, likely from the influenza virus, during a recent episode of the WHO podcast 'Health in Europe'.

Dr. Van Kerkhove stressed that another pandemic is inevitable within our lifetimes, highlighting that the Covid-19 pandemic will not be the last that Europe has to face. She explained that the future threat of influenza could cause unprecedented damage if lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic are not applied.

"For me, flu is a certainty because it's so much in circulation. It's infected many different species. We have avian influenza and the opportunities for reassortment [genetic changes to a virus that allow it to jump between species], the opportunities for a pandemic of influenza virus are high," Dr. Van Kerkhove said.

She noted that a comprehensive system is already in place to prepare for such an event. However, she also raised concerns about the potential for other types of pandemics, including those caused by coronaviruses and Arboviruses, which are transmitted through insect bites.

"The challenge is, will we see another coronavirus pandemic? Given that we had SARS-CoV-2 cause a pandemic, for sure, this is an opportunity. The question is, will we see an Arbovirus pandemic?" she said.

Dr. Van Kerkhove emphasized the importance of thinking creatively about future pandemic threats, suggesting that preparations should not be limited to known threats but should also consider new and different possibilities, including waterborne pathogens.

"I'm not saying this to scare people who are listening to this, but for us, it's something that we have to be prepared for," she added. "So, we have to think out of the box. Really prepare for what are the known threats, but also think out of the box for something different, perhaps waterborne or whatnot. So for me, pandemics, unfortunately, are part of what we will deal with in our lifetimes. I don't believe this will be the last pandemic we will deal with in our lifetimes."

Dr. Van Kerkhove's remarks serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and preparedness in the face of potential pandemic threats. (ILKHA)