Consider This from NPR Are We Ready For The Next One? The Striking Pandemic Warnings That Were Ignored
Mar 19, 2021
Dante Disparte, founder and chairman of Risk Cooperative, shares his expertise on pandemic preparedness as a member of FEMA's National Advisory Council. He discusses how past warnings from Presidents Bush and Obama were overlooked, leaving the U.S. vulnerable during COVID-19. Disparte emphasizes the need for better alert systems and real-time data to enhance future readiness. He advocates for a collective approach to public health, highlighting the interconnectedness of global safety and the importance of sound strategies to manage upcoming crises.
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15 Days to Slow the Spread
- Early in the pandemic, the "15 Days to Slow the Spread" campaign quickly became 30 days, then June 1st.
- This highlights the initial underestimation of the virus's impact and the evolving understanding of its timeline.
Forewarned
- Despite unknowns about the virus's transmission, one fact was clear: its emergence wasn't surprising.
- Experts like Dante Disparte emphasized the repeated warnings about such events.
Bush's Unheeded Warning
- President Bush requested $7.1 billion for pandemic preparedness in 2005, but only received $3.8 billion.
- This underfunding foreshadowed the inadequate resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic.