International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

About International Day of Epidemic Preparedness:

• It is annually observed on December 27 to advocate the importance of prevention of, preparedness for, and partnership against epidemics.
• It highlights the urgent need to invest in systems that can prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
• History of the Day: The first-ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, held on 27 December 2020, was called for by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for, and partnership against epidemics.
• What is an Epidemic?
  • An epidemic is a sudden disease outbreak that affects a large number of people in a particular region, community, or population.
  • In an epidemic, the number of people affected by the disease is larger than what is normally expected.
  • Yellow fever, smallpox, measles, and polio are prime examples of epidemics. 
  • An epidemic disease doesn’t necessarily have to be contagious. West Nile fever and the rapid increase in obesity rates are also considered epidemics. 

Q1: What is a Pandemic?

A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents. It affects more people and takes more lives than an epidemic. 

Source: Global solidarity key to future pandemic preparedness, says UN chief