... excellent, sobering ... a powerful reminder of how likely it is the world will be hit again with a pandemic, while also warning a weary population that covid-19 isn’t necessarily done with us yet, either ... In this thoughtful, well-researched autopsy, if you will, of the world’s response to covid-19 and earlier pandemics, Werb finds reason for hope even as he points out where politics, racism, and just plain old mistakes made the situation worse.
Werb profiles important COVID researchers and illuminates flawed research funding mechanisms (e.g., when epidemics wane, governments often defund research, leaving them less prepared for future pandemics; and pharmaceutical companies are generally unwilling to launch expensive development programs when payoffs are unknown, especially for rare diseases or those affecting the global poor) ... Great for those who want to understand the science of fighting pandemics while trying to avoid conspiracy theories and politicization.
... page-turning ... Werb describes doctors working toward an outlook that views animal, human, and environmental health as interconnected, and the light he sheds on scientists whose work has gone largely under the radar makes for a moving account. This is a unique and valuable addition to the expanding body of work on Covid-19.
