Disaster
‘It’s Going to Be Catastrophic’: Why the Next Pandemic Will Be Worse Than COVID
From Heartland Daily News
By Rob Bluey of the Daily Signal
The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans to prepare for the next pandemic, which he fears will be more catastrophic than COVID-19.
Dr. Robert Redfield, a virologist who continues to treat patients suffering from COVID, oversaw the CDC’s initial response to the pandemic and served as a member of the White House’s Coronavirus Task Force under former President Donald Trump.
“We are going to have another pandemic,” Redfield told The Daily Signal. “I do believe it’s going to be much more catastrophic than the COVID pandemic.”
Redfield predicted the next pandemic would be the bird flu, also known as H5N1. Its mortality rate is significantly higher than COVID: 52% of the 888 infected patients with H5N1 have died since 2003.
“COVID’s mortality was about 0.6%,” Redfield said. “Bird flu’s mortality is going to be north of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%. It’s going to be catastrophic.”
With more than 100 million chickens and turkeys already infected in the United States, Redfield said bird flu has also been found in 27 different mammals. And while there remains a low risk of infecting humans right now, another mishap like the COVID lab leak could quickly expedite bird flu’s transmission.
“This is why I’ve called for a moratorium on gain-of-function research until we can have a broader public debate about it,” he said. “I’m not convinced it needs to be done. I don’t think there’s really any benefit from it. Some of my colleagues disagree with me, but I think we shouldn’t do it until we know how we do it in a safe, responsible, and effective way and we clearly can’t do that at the present time.”
Redfield served on a nonpartisan commission convened by The Heritage Foundation, which issued a blistering critique of China’s COVID-19 cover-up. The commission, which released its report Monday, blamed the communist government in Beijing for obfuscating the truth about the pandemic’s origin and causing widespread damage and death as a result.
Americans can take an important step now to prevent such a disaster from happening in the future, Redfield said.
“COVID is a test case for why we don’t want to do gain-of-function research. I don’t think it was worth 28 million lives. I don’t think it was worth the trillion dollars of cost and the disruption that we had,” he said. “The COVID pandemic was a direct consequence of science and the arrogance that science had that nothing could go wrong. And, in fact, something went terribly wrong.”
The former CDC director, who served under Trump from 2018 to 2021, said biosecurity is the most important national security threat facing America today.
“It’s a time for our nation to step back and realize that the playing field has changed, similar to what happened when the atomic bomb came into the theater,” Redfield said.
Redfield spoke with The Daily Signal following the release of the commission’s report, “Holding China Accountable for Its Role in the Most Catastrophic Pandemic of Our Time: COVID-19.” Commissioners spoke at a Heritage Foundation event Monday.
Redfield criticized the Chinese government for failing to alert others to the threat posed by COVID when it was first discovered in the summer of 2019. The consequences, he said, were deadly. More than 28 million people worldwide have died from COVID-19, including 1.1 million in the United States.
The commission calculated the U.S. economic damages at a staggering $18 trillion.
What can policymakers do to hold China accountable?
The commission recommends a national security review of U.S.-China scientific collaborations and a deeper investigation into COVID-19’s origins. It also recommended that Congress amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to grant U.S. courts jurisdiction over cases brought by American citizens who are seeking monetary damages from China.
In addition to Redfield, other members of the nonpartisan commission included:
- John Ratcliffe, former director of national intelligence (commission chairman)
- Robert C. O’Brien, chairman of American Global Strategies and former U.S. national security adviser
- Heidi Heitkamp, director of the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and former U.S. senator from North Dakota
- Matthew Pottinger, chairman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies China Program and former U.S. deputy national security adviser
- Jamie Metzl, founder and chair of OneShared.World, former NSC and State Department official and member of WHO expert advisory committee on human genome editing
- John Yoo, Emanuel S. Heller professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley
- Dr. Robert Kadlec, physician and former assistant secretary of health and human services
- David Feith, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and former deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs
Rob Bluey ([email protected]) is the executive editor of The Daily Signal. This article appeared in The Daily Signal on July 8, 2024. Reprinted with permission
Alberta
Preparation, swift response define wildfire season
Aerial view of wildfires near Fox Lake and Garden River in July.
Alberta concludes its 2024 wildfire season with renewed resilience, as vigilance and swift action helped keep communities safe and ready for the future.
Through effective investments, including a historic $155-million wildfire base budget, Alberta’s government ensured the province was prepared to respond throughout the 2024 wildfire season. In anticipation of the wildfire season, Alberta’s government recruited 100 additional wildland firefighters and an additional 40 contract wildland firefighters – in addition to securing more airtankers, heavy equipment, and helicopters equipped with night vision technology. As a result of this preparation, front-line crews were able to respond quickly and fight fires around the clock, containing 85 per cent of wildfires within 24 hours of detection.
“While the 2024 wildfire season was challenging, our coordinated efforts and the resilience of Albertans have been crucial in mitigating the impact. We will continue to adapt and strengthen our wildfire management strategies to protect our communities and natural resources.”
“This wildfire season has tested our resolve, especially in areas like Fox Lake and Jasper. The coordinated efforts of our firefighters and support teams were instrumental in protecting our communities. We will build on this experience to continue to improve response strategies and initiate new strategies to ensure the safety of all Albertans.”
The 2024 wildfire season began earlier than usual, with 64 carryover wildfires stemming from a mild winter and extremely dry conditions. In response to this elevated danger, Alberta’s government activated an early start to the wildfire season on February 20, 2024, implementing a fire ban and fire permit system to prevent additional human-caused wildfires.
Despite significant challenges, including large wildfires near Jasper that led to evacuations and the tragic loss of an Alberta wildland firefighter, as well as the loss of homes and businesses in the community, Alberta Wildfire demonstrated remarkable coordination, offering immediate aid and resources to Parks Canada, including support personnel, firefighters, aircraft and equipment.
While supporting the Jasper response led by Parks Canada, Alberta Wildfire crews continued to tackle substantial wildfires throughout the province, deploying personnel, aircraft and equipment to combat wildfires and assist impacted communities. Throughout the season, residents of Garden River, John D’Or Prairie, Fox Lake in the Little Red River Cree Nation, and the Chipewyan Cree Nation were also evacuated. Additionally, an area near Peace River and four neighborhoods in Fort McMurray faced short-term evacuations due to wildfires.
“In the wake of the heartbreaking loss from the Jasper wildfire, we are reminded of the strength found in collaboration – with each other and among all orders of government. We are reminded also of the compelling need to invest together in training, preparation, mitigation and adaptation, ensuring that we not only respond effectively, but that we also build a more resilient future.”
“The 2024 wildfire season underscored the importance of early planning and preparation. Investments in people, resources and new technology proved invaluable in our response efforts.”
During the 2024 wildfire season, Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 wildfires in the Forest Protection Area, exceeding last year’s record-breaking total. While the number of fires in 2024 exceeded the total number of fires in 2023, wildfires this season burned less than a third of the area compared with 2023, underscoring the effectiveness of Alberta’s preparation and investments.
Although Oct. 31 marks the end of Alberta’s wildfire season, Alberta Wildfire remains vigilant and ready to respond to any potential wildfires across the province.
Quick Facts
- Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 wildfires this year with more than 705,000 hectares burned.
- In 2023, there were 1,080 wildfires and more than 2.2 million hectares burned.
- Alberta Wildfire had almost 1,900 firefighters, contractors and support staff working on Alberta’s provincial response.
- Alberta Wildfire also received assistance from other agencies with more than 1,300 firefighters and support staff arriving from around the world to assist.
- While most wildfires were caused by people, we had 410 lightning-caused wildfires in July, the highest number in 20-years.
Related information
Alberta
Province providing 250 modular homes to help ease housing crisis in Jasper
Supporting Jasper residents’ return home |
Alberta’s government continues to support recovery efforts in Jasper and is helping residents return to the community with $112 million in funding for interim housing.
Alberta’s government continues to support recovery efforts in Jasper and is helping residents return to the community with $112 million in funding for interim housing.
Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring Jasper residents are supported as the community recovers from the summer’s wildfire. To support rebuilding efforts in Jasper, government is committing $112 million to build interim housing for displaced Jasper residents and residents of Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor.
Work on the sites in Jasper has already begun, and the first residents are expected to begin moving in as early as January 2025. Homes in Jasper will be available for essential service workers and support service workers, and other eligible Jasper residents who lost their homes and are employed in the area. Alberta’s government will ensure that interim homes are ready for eligible residents as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“Our entire country grieved when wildfire ravaged Jasper this past summer. We know the rebuilding process takes time, and we’re doing all we can to support Jasper’s recovery. Most of all, people want to return home, and the funding we have approved will speed up that process so folks can rebuild their lives and move forward sooner.”
“We know that Jasper residents are eager to get back home and Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring they have the supports they need throughout this rebuilding effort. When ready, these interim homes will address the immediate housing need in Jasper and provide a short-term housing option for those who are working in the town doing the critical work needed to support this rebuild.”
To support the interim housing needs of Jasperites, the government is supporting the construction of modular homes. It is estimated that this portion of the provincial funding will build 250 modular homes for eligible displaced Jasper residents. Modular homes are constructed off-site, in a controlled environment, to allow for all-season construction and accelerated schedules. They are installed using permanent foundations that ensure the safety and comfort of the occupants.
Interim housing units in Jasper will be provided at market rent, and applications and eligibility details will be released in the future. Units in Jasper will be sold at market value when they are no longer required for interim housing for Jasper recovery.
“This interim housing is a much-needed step forward in getting the community of Jasper back on track and getting people into homes. Alberta’s government will continue to work with the town and our partners to restore Jasper as quickly as possible.”
“On behalf of the people of Jasper, I extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Alberta for their critical support in funding interim housing as we work to rebuild Jasper. This housing isn’t just about the buildings, it’s directly linked to our social and economic recovery including the mental well-being of the community as a whole.”
Alberta’s government is also supporting the residents of Pine Grove Manor with interim housing in Hinton. Pine Grove Manor was destroyed by the fire and this interim housing will keep residents close to their community while the seniors home is rebuilt. Up to 25 units of modular housing will be built for seniors in Hinton on a site that was given to the project by the Town of Hinton. These units in Hinton will later be used as affordable housing for the community. Work on these sites is expected to begin in January and the first seniors are expected to begin moving in as early as April 2025.
“The Evergreens Foundation is proud to work together with the province to move forward on this project with haste. We continue to keep the needs of the seniors who built our province in the forefront as we work through the Jasper recovery.”
A request for proposals will be released on both of these projects as the next steps in this process. Funding from Alberta’s government will be contributed to these projects over two fiscal years.
Quick facts
- The 2024 Jasper wildfire complex destroyed or damaged around 30 per cent of structures in Jasper, including the Pine Grove Seniors Citizens Manor, a government-owned building.
- Wildfire is an insurable event and insurance can cover costs for interim housing for insured individuals.
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