At this year's World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, world leaders assembled to discuss a chilling scenario at the behest of WHO: the hypothetical outbreak of a pathogen more dangerous than COVID-19, questioning our capacity to defend against such a threat.

WHAT EXACTLY IS 'DISEASE X'?

In 2015, WHO affiliates acknowledged that the world was inadequately prepared for a significant pandemic outbreak. This led to the formulation of a contingency plan to identify pathogens causing concern. Following a 2018 meeting, a blank entry titled "Disease X" was added to the roster. This category was created to ensure that policymakers and authorities are not limited in their response plans to known diseases only and maintain flexibility for any health emergency.

EVERYONE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS PREPARED, THEN CAME COVID

Two years after the conception of Disease X, the novel coronavirus emerged and literally swept across the globe, leaving behind a death toll of 7 million. There continues to be a debate about how satisfactory the global response was in containing the virus and the speed of vaccine development. Nonetheless, the list of prominent pathogens was reviewed even during the COVID-19 pandemic: in 2022, hundreds of scientists gathered and identified 25 microbe families with the potential to trigger a future pandemic.

WHAT CAN WE DO AGAINST AN UNKNOWN PATHOGEN?

In response to the issue, WHO initiated a series of consultations involving representatives from various countries. They reviewed challenges related to discovery, monitoring, research, and socio-political impacts that would arise if an unknown pathogen were to spark a pandemic.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the organization has already taken major steps, including establishing a pandemic preparedness fund and a technology transfer hub in South Africa, to eliminate vaccine distribution inequalities.

Of course, there are those who react to this by saying we're inciting panic. But it's better to be prepared in advance for something that has happened before," stated Ghebreyesus.

One of the most effective weapons could be to reassess our behavior. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how conspiracy theories and the spread of misinformation were the main obstacles to defense, which could be countered with a new public communication strategy. Additionally, there's a need to strengthen the economy and the healthcare system, give more attention to the mental health challenges associated with quarantine, and find more flexible solutions in education.