Over the next three units, we will consider interventions to mitigate pandemics in three different phases:
1\. Preventing patient zero
2\. Detecting and containing early infections
3\. Minimising population-level harms

—————————

patient zero (noun): the first person to be infected during an epidemic

The most effective way to limit the damage of a pandemic is to prevent any humans getting infected in the first place. Strategies differ depending on whether we are trying to prevent outbreaks from natural, accidental or deliberate origins. 
This unit, we’ll explore a range of interventions to stop pandemics at source, including:

Natural origin
Goal: prevent zoonotic spillover
\- Wildlife disease surveillance
\- Habitat preservation
\- Wildlife trade regulation
\- Health interventions for at-risk humans

Accidental human release
Goal: prevent laboratory-acquired infections
\- Laboratory biosafety
\- Oversight of ePPP research and DURC
\- Measures to disincentivise bioweapon development would all also reduce the likelihood of accidental release (see below)

Deliberate human release
Goal: prevent bioweapon development and release
\- Biological Weapons Convention
\- Intelligence agencies
\- Oversight of ePPP research and DURC
\- DNA synthesis screening
\- Bioengineering detection and attribution

For the pre-class exercise this week, you'll pick one intervention to dig deeper into and teach to your group.

By the end of the unit, you should be able to:
\- Explain the differences between preventing natural, accidental and deliberate outbreaks.
\- Identify and explain a range of interventions to prevent patient zero.
\- Begin to evaluate the promise of these interventions against a range of factors.


Resources: Preventing Patient Zero

Exercises: Preventing Patient Zero

**Pick one of the five options** to dig deeper into. Resources for each can be found in the ‘optional resources’ section below. Message your cohort Slack channel to let them know which option you will be covering:

1. Prevention of zoonotic spillover
2. Oversight of enhanced pandemic potential pathogen (ePPP) research and dual-use research of concern (DURC)
3. The Biological Weapons Convention
4. DNA synthesis regulation
5. Bioengineering detection and attribution

**For your chosen option, read the additional resources and prepare notes to teach it to someone else in your cohort.**
​
- Explain the intervention and **how it is supposed to prevent the infection of patient zero**. If there are any diagrams you found particularly useful from the resources, save them to use when you teach.
- What are the strengths of this intervention and in which contexts might it be the most effective at preventing outbreaks?
- In which contexts might this intervention be rendered ineffective? What ways might there be to mitigate this?
- What is the status of this intervention **in your own country**?
    - Which stakeholders/Government bodies are involved?


Interventions deep-dive

Pandemics

What does it take to prevent the first human infection?

Preventing Patient Zero

How do we make pandemics a thing of the past?

Building a Pandemic-Proof World

How could new technologies both increase and reduce the risk of pandemics?

Pandemic Risk Over the Coming Decades

How do we stop a local outbreak from becoming a global disaster?

Detecting and Containing Early Infections

How can governments minimise harms when a pandemic spreads worldwide?

Governmental Response to a Global Pandemic

How could new innovations help us prepare for and prevent future pandemics?

Technologies to Strengthen Future Pandemic Response

Make high-stakes decisions in a simulated pandemic scenario.

Pandemics

Resources: Preventing Patient Zero

Resources (30 mins)