'Prepare for next pandemic like war': Bill Gates calls for pandemic preparedness

Billionaire Philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates have warned that the world must prepare for the next pandemic as it would for war, including investments of million dollars each year. In their annual missive, the billionaire couple stressed that humanity could not afford to be caught “flat-footed” again. The couple has been quite vocal about the threat that the COVID-19 pandemic incurs on the humankind and has donated millions of dollar for the research and development of coronavirus vaccine.

In his latest letter, Bill Gates said that from now on, there would be a constant threat of the “next pandemic hanging over our heads”, unless the world takes steps to prevent it. He then said in future destruction could only be avoided if “pandemic preparedness” was taken as seriously as the threat of war.

Read: Bill Gates Receives First Dose Of COVID-19 Vaccine; Thanks Scientists, Trial Participants

Read: Bill Belichick's Girlfriend 'Tired' Of Trolls And Abuses After Tom Brady Comments

Large investments needed

"Stopping the next pandemic will require spending tens of billions of dollars per year -- a big investment, but remember that the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to cost the world $28 trillion. The world needs to spend billions to save trillions (and prevent millions of deaths),” he said. 

Previously, the US had urged other rich and first-world nations to make maximum contribution to the joint investment highlighting that they would benefit the most. Gates also called for investments in future diagnostic and vaccination technologies in addendum to "a global alert system, which we don't have at large scale today," allowing epidemics to be detected and responded to early.

Although denied by China, Former American President Donald Trump and his allies  have accused the communist nation to hide crucial information about the pandemic and allowing it to explode. Pertaining to the same, Trump last year, halted America’s monetary contribution to the WHO stating that it had conspired with China to hide the information. However, Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the WHO and has also taken a firm stance against Xenophobia. Since its beginning in December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic has killed over two million people across the naTIONS, In addendum, it has infected over 100 million with new mutations still arising.

Read: Bill Gates Believes Tokyo Olympics 'still Possible', Says Fate Depends On Vaccine Roll-out

Read: Tom Brady's Father Takes Dig At Bill Belichick As Patriots Exit Drama Continues