Chinese scientist David Ho: The next pandemic is bound to occur, and the world should be alert | Exclusive

Tech 2023-07-19 12:31:45 Source: Network

David Ho, a Chinese scientist at Columbia University, and Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, recently joined hands to establish the "Pandemic Research Alliance" to jointly carry out research on emerging infectious diseases. In an exclusive interview with Phoenix Satellite TV, David Ho stressed that the next pandemic will certainly occur, for which global scientists should work together and be ready

David Ho, a Chinese scientist at Columbia University, and Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, recently joined hands to establish the "Pandemic Research Alliance" to jointly carry out research on emerging infectious diseases. In an exclusive interview with Phoenix Satellite TV, David Ho stressed that the next pandemic will certainly occur, for which global scientists should work together and be ready.

David Ho: The world should be alert to the next pandemic

David Ho, virologist of Columbia University:

COVID-19 has not completely disappeared. Although people have established immunity, the virus will continue to spread and change. If it changes enough, it may come back and cause another peak.

On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization announced the lifting of the global emergency of the COVID-19 epidemic, which has lasted for more than three years.As economic activity returns to normal, the virus gradually fades from people's perspective, but scientists are wary of when the next pandemic will sweep the world again.

David Ho, virologist of Columbia University:
It will come, but we don't know when. With climate change, we know that it will affect animal populations as well as humans.And the dynamic interaction between animals and humans has also changed, with more contact between animals and humans, which will give viruses the opportunity to jump from one species to another.

David Ho and Yuen Kwok-yung Jointly Established the "Pandemic Research Alliance"

David Ho, a Chinese American virologist at Columbia University, invented "cocktail therapy" to treat AIDS in the 1990s and saved tens of millions of infected people. He is also known as "the person who defeated AIDS".Recently, he and Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, announced the establishment of the "Pandemic Research Alliance" to jointly carry out research on emerging infectious diseases.

David Ho, virologist of Columbia University:

For example, influenza, SARS and COVID-19, as well as other related viruses, we need to better understand them. We also need to find out the viruses that may exist in other animal species, which may infect humans. We can study drugs, develop vaccines, and prepare for an outbreak of one of the viruses.

Collaborating with four institutions including Columbia University, Hong Kong University, and others, we will carry out research on virus evolution and vaccine development

David Ho revealed that the partners currently under discussion include Tsinghua University and the Doherty Institute of the University of Melbourne,He hopes that global scientists will work together to prepare for the next pandemic of infectious diseases.

David Ho, virologist of Columbia University:

The University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University, University of Melbourne and Columbia University are just the beginning. We hope to establish a global alliance over time, and we hope to contribute. It is impossible for us to work alone, and even with so many teams in an alliance, it may be difficult to solve the problem, which requires us and others to delve deeper into it.

The COVID-19 epidemic has posed challenges, many of which have not yet been answered. David Ho hoped that all agencies could carry out cooperation in many aspects through the alliance and learn from past outbreaks.Each member of the alliance is drafting a draft agreement on specific details and hopes to officially sign it by the end of the year.

Source: Reported by Cui Kejun from Phoenix TV in Hong Kong

Editor: Qiu Guo

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