As the COVID-19 news cycle further turns its attention to the Omicron variant, a vaccine co-creator is cautioning against a return to complacency with a warning about the potential for future pandemics.
Speaking during the 44th edition of the Richard Dimbleby lecture series, per a report from the Guardian, Oxford University’s Sarah Gilbert pointed to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while also looking ahead.
“This will not be the last time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods,” Gilbert, a vaccinology professor and one of the scientists behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, said Sunday. “And I’d like to finish on a high note, but the truth is the next one could be worse. It could be more contagious or more lethal, or both. We cannot allow a situation where we have gone through all we have gone through and then find that the enormous economic losses we have sustained mean that there is still no funding for pandemic preparedness.”
Gilbert also praised the rapid response of the scientific community in 2020, specifically the combined efforts behind swiftly readying vaccine options. Moving forward, however, requires building on what’s been learned and not letting it be lost to budget issues or other constraints.
“We must invest in people, research, manufacturing, and institutions to defend against pandemics,” Gilbert, whose speech is set to air via BBC, said. Elsewhere, the Vaccitech co-founder addressed Omicron concerns, noting that the strongest current approach is to remain “cautious” by taking additional steps to slow the variant’s spread.
Here in the States, the Omicron variant has been confirmed to have been detected in multiple regions. Per the CDC, vaccines are still “the best public health measure” available to protect people from COVID-19.
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