Almost three years after COVID-19 changed the world, pandemic fatigue is in full swing. As of Nov. 9, just 10% of Americans had received the latest vaccine booster despite ample supply, and a Pew Research Center poll earlier this year showed that Americans think the coronavirus outbreak is the least important of 12 problems facing the country.

While many would like to forget that COVID-19 ever happened, now is the time to begin preparing for the next pandemic. Research scientists at Duke University have estimated that there may be a greater than 70% chance of a COVID-19-like pandemic occurring in a lifetime. In other words, pandemics are a recurring threat, and one will likely materialize for our children or grandchildren.