Increase funding for vaccine education and outreach programs to combat misinformation and improve vaccine uptake.
Pandemics
Pandemics Risk
Current assessment
Today's pandemic risk is high due to ongoing measles outbreaks, vaccine hesitancy, and emerging infectious diseases like avian flu and MERS.
September 6, 2026
Trend
Daily score history for Pandemics.
Risk Drivers
What is pushing the current reading.
The current news highlights significant challenges in controlling infectious diseases, with measles outbreaks reaching high levels in the US, exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Additionally, the emergence of avian flu cases in poultry and humans, as well as new MERS cases, underscores the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases. Surveillance gaps, particularly in vaccine uptake and misinformation, continue to hinder public health responses. The need for improved vaccine deployment and public health infrastructure is critical to mitigating these risks.
Risk Reduction Actions
Priority actions generated from the current analysis.
Enhance surveillance systems for early detection and response to emerging infectious diseases, including avian flu and MERS.
Encourage routine vaccinations and address vaccine hesitancy by providing accurate information to patients.
Support community-based initiatives to improve public understanding of the importance of vaccinations and disease prevention.
Accelerate research on new vaccines and treatments for emerging infectious diseases to improve preparedness.
Sources Monitored
Visible feeds used in this category's nightly run.
Selected Articles
Supporting articles referenced in the latest score.
- Vaccine recommendations and access, plus measles deaths: 3 questions, zero consensus: The State of US Vaccine Policy Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published September 3, 2026
- CIDRAP Op-Ed: How we can hear ‘high risk’ for measles and write it off Publisher: CIDRAP COVID‑19 Published September 1, 2026
- Study details full range of what respiratory virus infections look like in young kids Publisher: CIDRAP Influenza (General) Published July 28, 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
- Measles cases top 3,000 to reach highest level in three decades, CDC reports Publisher: NBC News Published September 4, 2026
- US measles cases hit 35-year high as expert warns vaccine hesitancy is fueling the outbreak Publisher: Scripps News Published September 4, 2026