Overview

• Health experts caution that the world is no better prepared for pandemics now than it was five years ago, with some arguing conditions may have worsened due to geopolitical instability.
• The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization under President Trump has raised concerns about diminished global health collaboration and resource sharing.
• New threats, such as the H5N1 avian flu, show potential for pandemic-level outbreaks, with mutations increasingly adapting to humans, though human-to-human transmission remains limited for now.
• Germany faces significant challenges in pandemic readiness, including severe shortages in healthcare staffing, incomplete updates to national pandemic plans, and a lack of sufficient medical reserves.
• Experts emphasize the need for better international coordination, transparent communication, and sustained investment in public health infrastructure to mitigate future crises.