Increase funding for flu and measles vaccination campaigns to improve coverage and reduce outbreak severity.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Assessment for this date
Today's pandemic risk is moderate due to ongoing flu and measles outbreaks, persistent COVID-19 effects, and emerging avian flu and MERS cases.
March 3, 2026
Trend
Viewing the record for March 3, 2026 within the full trend.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current global health landscape is marked by multiple concurrent infectious disease threats. The flu season remains severe in the US with high pediatric mortality, while measles outbreaks are resurging in several states, exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Long COVID continues to impact public health with its long-term health implications. Additionally, avian flu is spreading in both poultry and wild birds, with human cases reported in Asia, and MERS cases are emerging in the Middle East. These factors, combined with gaps in vaccine uptake and misinformation, elevate the pandemic risk to a moderate level.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Enhance surveillance and rapid response capabilities for emerging infectious diseases like avian flu and MERS.
Educate patients on the importance of vaccinations and address vaccine hesitancy through evidence-based communication.
Support community outreach programs to raise awareness about long COVID and its management.
Accelerate development and deployment of combined vaccines for flu and COVID to streamline immunization efforts.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- European regulators recommend approval of combined mRNA vaccine for flu and COVID
- Flu claims 5 more US children’s lives as virus continues circulating at moderate to very high levels
- Flu claims 5 more US children’s lives as virus continues circulating at moderate to very high levels
- US flu activity declines for 3rd straight week but remains elevated
- Cambodia confirms its first human case of H5N1 avian flu this year
- Saudi Arabia confirms 9 MERS cases, including hospital cluster
- As measles spreads in South Carolina, RFK Jr’s allies work to gut vaccine laws Publisher: The Guardian