Another Covid-like pandemic to strike soon? Bill Gates says, 'We are absolutely not ready...'

synopsis

Microsoft cofounder and global health advocate Bill Gates has painted a sobering picture of the future, estimating a 10-15% likelihood of another pandemic striking within the next four years. Speaking candidly in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Gates expressed both urgency and frustration at the world’s current state of preparedness.

"The chance of a natural pandemic in the next four years is somewhere between 10 and 15 per cent," Gates said. "And it'd be nice to think we're actually more ready for that than we were last time. But so far we're not."

When questioned about the global readiness to combat such a threat, Gates delivered an unequivocal response: "We're absolutely not" ready. His grim assessment stems from the glaring gaps in health infrastructure and the global community's failure to fully internalize lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gates, who has long been a harbinger of warnings about pandemics, first sounded the alarm in a 2015 TED Talk, where he prophetically declared that the world was ill-equipped to handle a large-scale viral outbreak. His chilling prediction became reality during the coronavirus pandemic, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

In 2022, Gates expanded on his advocacy by penning How to Prevent the Next Pandemic, a detailed blueprint for fortifying global health systems. Despite these efforts, he laments the lack of progress, attributing the stagnation to political polarization and a failure to unite on a cohesive global strategy.

"People, rather than having a consensus about what tools are missing, are mostly still replaying the various mistakes that were made," Gates observed, underscoring the pervasive lack of forward momentum.

Scientific research aligns with Gates’ concerns, indicating that the likelihood of pandemics is escalating due to factors such as climate change, urbanization, and growing population density.

In response, Gates has persistently championed stronger quarantine protocols, increased investment in disease surveillance, and accelerated vaccine development as critical pillars for prevention.