Bill Gates: Worse Pandemics Are Coming - Preparing to Save Lives and Save From Financial Disaster

Ominous prediction by billionaire Bill Gates

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Bill Gates warned of pandemics far worse than the coronavirus, calling on governments to contribute billions of dollars to prepare for the next pandemic.

The billionaire said that although the Omicron and Delta variants of the coronavirus were some of the most contagious in history, the world could face a virus that would cause much more serious illness and more deaths.

Gates' contribution to vaccine innovation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Wellcome Trust offer $ 300 million to the Epidemic Innovation Coalition (CEPI), one of Covax's key partners in providing access to developing countries around the world. Covid-19. CEPI is trying to raise $ 3,5 billion, as it aims to reduce the time it takes to develop a new vaccine to just 100 days.

"Strange" are the priorities of the world

Gates said the world's priorities were "strange" and that it was up to philanthropists and governments in rich countries to tackle inequalities in vaccination. "We are talking about spending billions (dollars) to save tens of billions of lives and save trillions of financial losses," Gates said.

He added that many of the innovations to prepare for a future pandemic would also be useful in tackling the world's existing health problems, such as developing a vaccine for HIV and improving vaccines for tuberculosis and malaria.

We need bigger stocks next time

Gates notes that the two major funders of vaccine development during the pandemic Covid-19, CEPI and the US government have shown courage, risking huge sums. He acknowledged, however, that much needed to be done to increase stocks so that everyone could be vaccinated.

"With the money they risked, the clinical trials were performed. So it was a huge benefit for the whole world. We are wiser today. "And we need bigger stocks next time," said Bill Gates.

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