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Will there be another pandemic in your lifetime?

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TEDEd Animation

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We tend to think of pandemics as unlikely events, but disease outbreaks are surprisingly common. Over the past 400 years, the longest stretch of time without a documented outbreak was just four years. So, what’s the probability of experiencing another world-changing pandemic in your lifetime? Explore the likelihood of a future pandemic and the steps we can take to reduce its destructiveness.

What general range have scientists determined is the yearly probability of a COVID-19-level pandemic? What does that mean for the probability of experiencing another COVID-19-level pandemic in your lifetime?

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Director Igor Coric, Artrake Studio
  • Script Writer George Zaidan
  • Narrator George Zaidan
  • Music Nikola Radivojevic
  • Sound Designer Nikola Radivojevic
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Alexandra Zubak
  • Associate Producer Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer George Zaidan
  • Expert Consultant William Pan, Marco Marani, Melvin Sanicas, Nita Madhav, Ben Oppenheim, Nicole Stephenson

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