In a health crisis, decisions about treatment and containment must be made quickly. It’s crucial those decisions be based on research evidence, but fast and easy access is not always available.
Suan-Sin Foo, University of Southern California and Weiqiang Chen, University of Southern California
There is no vaccine or medicine for Zika. But researchers have identified factors in the blood that signal a fetus has Zika-related birth defects, helping mothers decide whether to terminate a pregnancy.
By tackling local threats and controlling existing diseases, countries are able to build the capacity needed to deal with future emerging disease threats.