Managing and Preventing Pandemics: Lessons From COVID-19

Using an evidence-based, critical, population health approach, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the key errors and most effective interventions to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines the root determinants of pandemic risk on a global scale and addresses the policy changes to be implemented to prevent future health crises.

Part One of the book discusses the lethal errors in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing particularly on those countries that failed to limit the death toll caused by the health crisis. These mistakes include lack of preparation, disinformation, medicalization, adoption of a “laissez-faire the virus” approach and inequity. Part Two analyzes the vital actions that enabled “virtuous” countries to effectively limit the most deadly effects of the pandemic: prevention, immunization and support.

Part Three looks at what we should do to prevent the next pandemic. This part examines the proximal social and environmental causes of pandemic risk (e.g., deforestation, industrialized animal farming and climate change), as well as the “causes of the causes,” which include our model of global economic development and its philosophical and ideological underpinnings.

Roberto De Vogli is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Psychology of Power, University of Padova, Italy.