What the COVID-19 Pandemic has Taught Us About Future Health Standards

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the greatest global health crisis of the 21st century, responsible for over six million deaths and half a billion cases in the past three years. Unfortunately, the world was unprepared for the pandemic and, as a result, struggled to respond to the outbreak with effective public health measures. In order to prepare for the next pandemic, this paper seeks to explore the effectiveness of many different public health policies. This paper examines whether implementing mask policies, social distancing, targeted lockdowns, efficient testing, and strict quarantining controls are the best tactics for combating the next virus outbreak. The burden caused by the next pandemic could be radically reduced if all of these policies are implemented strategically.