David Kidney’s blog: May 2024
How ready are we for….
…. the next pandemic?
Who can say when the next deadly pandemic will occur after the global recovery from COVID-19? Events that we used to think might occur once every 100 years now seem to show up much more frequently.
Just this year, I have read variously that the next pandemic threat will come from:
- A new strain of influenza
- The H5N1 virus (which has been devastating bird populations, and is now infecting mammals too) which might evolve the capability of spreading between humans
- The growing number of superbugs resistant to current drugs.
Of course, the world has recent experience of rolling out large-scale vaccination programmes. More than 13bn doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered, covering 70% of the world’s population.
But what lessons have we really learned?
Clearly, surveillance – including horizon scanning – is essential. We need as early a warning as possible if we are swiftly to ramp up the research and development of new vaccines and their mass production.
The WHO is on the case here with a proposal for a world agreement, but its proposal has stirred up controversy in some quarters. Plans for a system of alerts, data sharing and R&D collaboration would be welcome though.
Here in the UK, we know from our early experience of COVID-19 that we must have adequate supplies of PPE (personal protective equipment) and the capacity for mass testing. This is in addition to the surveillance, the research and development of vaccines and fast roll-out.
At the height of the pandemic, the UK had a network of Lighthouse Labs, supported by universities, to help keep up with demand for tests and vaccines. In the HealthTech sector, there was huge collaboration from businesses to support these efforts – definitely more concerned about contributing to a national response to a severe threat than earning profits (in most cases).
At the nerve centre of the Lighthouse Labs stood the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory in Leamington Spa. Proudly situated in the West Midlands, many of us thought that its legacy would be as an anchor organisation for our region’s HealthTech sector and a cornerstone of the UK’s plans for preparedness in case of future pandemic threats.
At the Cluster, we proposed three ongoing uses of the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory:
- A Government Laboratory for research purposes and forming a foundation for ramping up testing in the event of a future pandemic;
- Training space for offering training in laboratory skills and etiquette to public and private workforces on a commercial basis; and
- Laboratory Units for private sector users, who would benefit from their close proximity to the other two facilities.
Alas, this is not to be.
Rosalind Franklin Laboratory is now essentially a fitted lab being managed by a letting agent. The tenant, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has paid to break the lease early. Having dropped the Rosalind Franklin Laboratory, UKHSA is currently stripping the site of equipment, but leaving behind the infrastructure for a laboratory.
Such a waste, and so short-sighted.
There have been big political debates about the use of lockdowns to counter pandemic threats. It should therefore be beyond dispute that there ought to be adequate readiness in order to deploy all responses short of lockdown as soon as is necessary.
It’s time to stir up some debate about the UK’s readiness for future pandemics.
And in the meantime, we really mustn’t neglect the simple precautions – hand washing, social distancing/one-way systems and availability of hand gel – as part of our business as usual, don’t you think?
David Kidney, Executive Chair
22 May 2024.