I keep seeing people on here say more epidemics are likely now. How so?

[goolish]

I just keep seeing people say life will never be as before, some saying it will change beyond recognition and I'm trying to take it all with a pinch of salt as I know some people can be quite, alarmist? But the one comment I keep seeing is how more epidemics/pandemics will happen now. What's the argument behind this? Genuinely curious how having a pandemic now makes us more likely for more in the not so distant future?

I don’t think there is any evidence to suggest pandemics like this will reoccur often. Once the dust settles on all this, I think all eyes will be on China and some of their practices regarding wet markets and I suspect the Chinese authorities will ensure there are stringent rules against these practices. Hopefully, we will all take away some principles of hand hygiene and social distancing and keep applying them which will help to reduce infections but I don’t think there is any scientific evidence to say this will keep happening at this magnitude

Sounds like bollocks to me. I wouldn’t get worked up about it.

There are pandemics all the time. This experience sets a political precedent for the next serious one. I believe researchers are watching and waiting for mutations to viruses like HIV and Ebola which would make them less deadly but more infectious.

It depends on the virus really which is an unknown. It may be like the Spanish flu and have a second wave which may prove deadlier or something more akin to measles or whooping cough with outbreaks intermittently. It’s hard to know how it will behave or how much immunity people will get.

A vaccine would be the best solution but in the absence of that it may just need to be treated/symptomatic relief offered. As long as the numbers can be controlled it’s a manageable illness with the right medical support.

Lots of people will have small changes in behaviour due to this pandemic. For example, people who shopped every day or two days will now probably ensure they have back up products for a week's worth of meals. Others will do better hand hygiene, or take passing on colds more seriously.

However, pandemics themselves are rare. There are more likely to be epidemics but I suspect after this people will be less anti-vaxxer.

Theres lots of reasons, they could be worse and happen more often.

Extreme weather can cause and spread pandemic quicker. In floods, tornadoes etc. Disease can spread.

Theres more people on the planet, more international travel, more people packed into smaller spaces. All prime for disease spread.

Not saying they will spread quicker or become more often. But I can see these 2 things would be big reasons.

This article in the Guardian today explains it pretty well.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/coronavirus-nature-is-sending-us-a-message-says-un-environment-chief