The World Economic Forum’s upcoming annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, is attracting attention with a session titled ‘Preparing for Disease X.’ The term ‘Disease X’ has gained traction after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about the possibility of a future pandemic caused by an unknown pathogen.
According to the WHO, ‘Disease X’ signifies the potential of a severe international epidemic resulting from a pathogen that is currently not known to cause human disease. The organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is scheduled to speak at the event, alongside other notable figures.
The session has sparked widespread discussion, with ‘Disease X’ trending on social media platforms. However, there have been baseless claims from some quarters, including right-wing social media accounts, suggesting that the session aims to impose vaccine mandates and restrict freedoms.
Dr. Amish Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, emphasized that such exercises and meetings are essential for pandemic preparedness. He highlighted the importance of identifying strengths and weaknesses in response strategies.
Dr. Stuart Ray, vice chair of medicine for data integrity and analytics at Johns Hopkins’ Department of Medicine, also stressed the irresponsibility of dismissing pandemic preparedness efforts as part of a conspiracy.
