Increase funding for public health surveillance systems to detect and respond to emerging infectious diseases more effectively.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Current assessment
Today's pandemic risk is moderate due to ongoing infectious disease outbreaks, including COVID-19, measles, and avian flu, compounded by surveillance gaps and vaccine misinformation.
August 1, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current landscape of infectious diseases presents a moderate risk due to several factors. COVID-19 remains a persistent threat with ongoing cases and long COVID complications affecting healthcare workers. Measles outbreaks in the US highlight gaps in vaccination coverage and public health surveillance. Concurrently, the spread of avian flu across multiple regions poses a zoonotic threat. Despite advancements in vaccine policy and development, misinformation and political disputes hinder effective public health responses. Surveillance gaps, particularly in detecting and responding to emerging pathogens, further exacerbate the risk.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Enhance vaccination campaigns and public education to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
Collaborate with communities to improve access to vaccines and healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas.
Accelerate research on long COVID and its impacts to develop targeted treatments and interventions.
Promote accurate information on infectious diseases and counter misinformation to build public trust in health guidelines.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- COVID is still here. Is the pandemic? Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published July 31, 2026
- Long COVID may affect up to 5% of healthcare workers in hospitals, new data suggest Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published July 29, 2026
- The Eaton wildfire evacuation shelter near LA saw outbreaks of norovirus, COVID, and flu, report reveals Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published July 10, 2026
- Quick takes: Ebola deaths top 1,000, measles outbreak in Delaware, H9N2 avian flu in China Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published July 23, 2026
- Cambodia confirms human H5N1 avian flu case as H5N1 hits more Utah egg farms Publisher: CIDRAP Avian Influenza Published July 16, 2026
- Measles outbreak intensifies across Pennsylvania Publisher: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Published August 1, 2026
- Ohio reports 3rd measles outbreak of 2026; US cases hit 35-year high Publisher: Akron Beacon Journal Published July 31, 2026