Along with climate change and the ongoing pandemic, the multi-billionaire and brain behind Microsoft has coined bioterrorism as the next impending threat to humanity.
The idea that somewhere in the world, somebody is in a laboratory plotting to release a deadly virus out into the global population sounds a lot like the storyline of an upcoming thriller film starring Liam Neeson.
Maybe so, but Bill Gates has said that this could be a very real possibility. And if youβve been paying attention to the Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist in the last few years, youβll already know he has a knack for predicting this sort of thing.
In November of 2019 – just a month before the Coronavirus began its world tour – Gates featured in an episode of Voxβs Explained on Netflix, discussing the imminence of an epidemic, as well as the need to increase funding into vaccine research.
It wasnβt the first time heβd spoken on the nature of deadly viruses and the threat they pose to humans. Six years ago, he presented a Ted Talk on the necessity of preparing healthcare systems and advancing vaccine capabilities for when an outbreak inevitably emerges.
Now Iβm not calling him a psychic, but when Bill Gates says the world needs to anticipate acts of bioterrorism, perhaps governments and other major organisations should listen up.
Well, a lot, obviously. Bill Gates runs his own charity which funds vaccine development and virus surveillance, aimed at quickly spotting and eradicating outbreaks around the world.
At a recent meeting with the chair of the UKβs Health Select Committee, Jeremy Hunt, he warned that future terrorists or βgarbage scientistsβ (to use Nuffield Healthβs terminology) could begin using deadly viruses like smallpox as a bioweapon.
More ominously, he stressed that advances in biology have made it extremely easy to engineer fast-moving airborne pathogens. And by βeasyβ, he means it. Genetic editing kits are already available for purchase online for 100 quid – but please donβt go getting any ideas.
If released into just ten airports, these types of deadly viruses could wipe out 30 million people in an event βway worse than what we’ve experienced today,β Gates said.
He also went as far as branding bioterrorism as more dangerous to humanity than nuclear warfare. You wouldnβt know it from the news, but based on statistics, heβs right – weβre living in one of the most peaceful times in history.
That said, weβre also living in one of the busiest times. People travel a lot more, boosting virus-spreading capacity immensely. βYou need just one person on the bus or plane or the airport and you get huge things.β Tell us about it, Bill.
Whatβs his plan?
Gates admits that research and development costs to adequately prepare us for acts of bioterrorism and the next pandemic will be expensive. Weβre talking tens of billions, βprobably about a billion a yearβ he says, from both US and UK governments.
These vast sums of money would fuel research that facilitates βmaking vaccines cheap, having big factories, eradicating the flu, getting rid of the common cold, and making vaccines just a little patch you put on your armβ in the near future.
On top of this, he advises the World Health Organisation should form a new billion-dollar Pandemic Task Force. By carrying out βgerm gamesβ – yes, he actually said that – teams would practice surveillance of biological hazards and carry out what to do if one released in crowded public spaces.
Whether the next virus emerges naturally, or due to bioterrorism, or at fault of a botched experiment by an amateur (or evil) scientist, these role-playing scenarios would arm professionals with stronger knowledge and prevention tactics.
After nearly a decade of telling literally everyone, βwe are not ready for the next pandemic,β Bill Gates has said that he hopes securing new funding for future research will enable him to write a book called βWe ARE Ready For The Next Pandemic.β
Iβm Jessica (She/Her). I’m the Deputy Editor & Content Partnership Manager at Thred. Originally from the island of Bermuda, I specialise in writing about ocean health and marine conservation, but you can also find me delving into pop culture, health and wellness, plus sustainability in the beauty and fashion industries. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
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