Preparing for the next pandemic means fundamentally shifting how we view health

14:30

November 02, 2021

Tiziana Dearing
Amanda Beland

In this May 2021 file photo, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses are prepared for members of the community 12 years and up, at a clinic in southeast Washington. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Are we ready for the next pandemic?

Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of Boston University's School of Public Health, says not quite. It may seem extreme to ponder the next pandemic when we're still in the middle of one, but for Dr. Galea and other public health leaders, it's exactly the type of question we need to be asking now.

In his new book, "The Contagion Next Time," Dr. Galea takes stock of the world's health before COVID-19, and where we are now as we look to future threats. His conclusion? Health is not an individual problem. It's collective, and poor collective health has global implications.

Dr. Galea joins us to discuss his new book and how to better prepare.

Dr. Galea will also be discussing his book on Thursday at Harvard bookstore. You can register for the event here.

This segment aired on November 2, 2021.