The Pandemic Cost 7 Million Lives, but Talks to Prevent a Repeat Stall
In late 2021, as the world reeled from the arrival of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus, representatives of almost 200 countries met - some online, some in-person in Geneva - hoping to forestall a future worldwide outbreak by developing the first-ever global pandemic accord.
The deadline for a deal? May 2024.
The costs of not reaching one? Incalculable, experts say. An unknown future pathogen could have far more devastating consequences than SARS-CoV-2, which cost some 7 million lives and trillions of dollars in economic losses.
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