Mark Honigsbaum, a medical historian and author of "The Pandemic Century," joins Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, to discuss lessons learned from COVID-19. They explore global responses to pandemics, comparing COVID-19 with past outbreaks like SARS and Ebola. Honigsbaum and King stress the importance of rigorous vaccine testing to maintain public trust and advocate for robust healthcare strategies to prevent future crises. Their insights emphasize the need for global collaboration and historical awareness in pandemic preparedness.
59:56
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Silent Spread of COVID-19
COVID-19 likely spread silently for over a month before detection in Wuhan, giving it ample time to spread globally.
Its asymptomatic transmission makes it distinct from SARS-1, where patients showed clear symptoms upon hospitalization.
insights INSIGHT
Pandemic Predicted
A 2006 report predicted a pandemic like COVID-19 before 2030 due to increased human-animal contact and air travel.
The report's model showed a new virus could reach every country within three months.
insights INSIGHT
COVID-19 vs. Spanish Flu
COVID-19's similarities to the 1918 Spanish Flu include respiratory transmission and initial case fatality rates.
Key differences include the lack of medical advancements in 1918, potentially impacting its actual fatality rate.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In *The Pandemic Century*, Mark Honigsbaum chronicles ten major pandemics over the past century, exploring how despite significant medical advancements, societies remain unprepared for outbreaks. The book delves into the social, cultural, and scientific factors influencing these events, highlighting the ongoing challenges in global health security. It includes a new chapter on COVID-19, reflecting on the lessons learned and the future of pandemics.
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared ------ In this week's episode we brought together two of Britain’s most esteemed experts on global pandemics to discuss what we got wrong about the virus and how we can learn from those mistakes going forward. Drawing on examples from history and scientific research, medical historian Mark Honigsbaum and former Chief Scientific Advisor to the U.K Government Sir David King, outlined the measures that need to be put in place, at both national and international levels, to end the pandemic and prevent this kind of catastrophe from ever happening again. The event was chaired by Manveen Rana, host of Stories of Our Times, a podcast from The Times. To buy Mark Honigsbaum's book click here: https://amzn.to/2FalGYn To listen to Manveen Rana's podcast click here:https://play.acast.com/s/storiesofourtimes -------------------------- Intelligence Squared+. The world's best speakers. Your questions. £4.99 per month. Intelligence Squared+ will bring you live, interactive events every week on our new online platform. Just like at our real-life events, you’ll be able to put your questions to our speakers, vote in live polls and interact with other members of the audience. Your subscription will give you access to multiple events featuring the world’s top thinkers and opinion formers, including Thomas Piketty, Margaret Atwood, Clive Woodward, Thomas Friedman, Meera Syal and Paloma Faith. For a full list of Intelligence Squared+ events and to subscribe, click here: https://bit.ly/2yfYIfm
Intelligence Squared 
