Bill Gates predicts COVID-like deadly pandemic in four years: 'People still...'

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates issued a stark warning about the future of global health, estimating that there's a 10-15% likelihood of another pandemic emerging within the next four years. The billionaire philanthropist shared his concerns and emphasized the need for continued vigilance and action.

In a recent video interview with The Wall Street Journal's Editor-in-Chief, Emma Tucker, Gates estimated that the probability of a natural pandemic occurring within the next four years is between 10% and 15%. He expressed disappointment that, despite the lessons learned from the previous pandemic, the world is still not adequately prepared for another outbreak. "And it'd be nice to think we're actually we're more ready for that than we were last time. But so far we're not. We're absolutely not," he said. 

Gates expressed frustration that the world remains unprepared for the next pandemic. He said that people are still focused on assigning blame for past mistakes rather than working together to address existing gaps. "People, rather than having a consensus about what tools are missing, are mostly still replaying the various mistakes that were made. So, I wouldn't say that we're as far along as you'd expect after trillions of dollars and millions of lives have been lost," he said.

Gates has been a vocal advocate for pandemic preparedness for years, warning about the world's vulnerability to deadly outbreaks. In a 2015 TED Talk, he predicted that the world was unprepared for a major pandemic, a warning that unfortunately came true with the COVID-19 pandemic. He has continued to sound the alarm, authoring "How to Prevent the Next Pandemic" in 2022, which outlines his comprehensive recommendations for improving global health strategy. He emphasizes that political divisions and lack of global cooperation are significant obstacles to effective pandemic prevention.