Stop the wildlife trade to eliminate future pandemics

On May 25, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Global Initiative Report released the report ‘COVID-19 – A year in retrospect’.

Regular testing on mink farms is recommended to rule out the risk of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to humans. Photo: AFP/VNA After more than a year of the COVID-19 outbreak, people are well aware of the risks of human-animal contact, especially in cases related to deforestation and wildlife trade. high risk. The report builds on the study “Behind the Ivory Ban” conducted by the International Organization for Conservation of Nature and the Global Initiative Reporting Organization in 2020 to gain insight into attitudes and behaviors. public attitudes towards COVID-19 and future pandemics. More than a year after the COVID-19 outbreak, survey results show that people are well aware of close human-animal contact, often linked to deforestation and the endangered wildlife trade. high risk, potential health risks, can cause serious disease outbreaks. In which, 46% of the participants said that transmission of diseases from animals to humans is the root cause that could cause a future pandemic. A recent investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) also indicated that wild animals are likely to be the source of infection of the COVID-19 pandemic. A majority of those surveyed believe that preventing future pandemics should start with addressing the root causes, including high-risk wildlife trade and deforestation. In all five countries, people strongly support government efforts to close high-risk wildlife markets that sell wild-caught animals (85%) and to end wildlife trafficking. deforestation (88%). In which, in Vietnam, the support rate for these two issues is 94% and 95% respectively. In addition, 85% of respondents in all 5 countries support or strongly support the “One Health” approach to dealing with the pandemic. Particularly in Vietnam, the agreement rate is 93% and is the second country with the highest consensus rate. “One Health” is an approach in which action programs, policies and legislation from various sectors work together towards the goal of better health for people, animals and plants, in particular. in the context of the increasing spread of diseases between animals and humans and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance. More specifically, among survey participants in Vietnam, 39% of respondents said they have consumed less wildlife or have stopped consuming wildlife because of COVID-19. In Thailand, this rate nearly doubles from 21% in 2020 to 41% in 2021. While in China, the figure is 28% in 2021. Still, there are 9% of participants. The survey intends to purchase wildlife products in the future in all five countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the lives of human society upside down and forced people to think more deeply about the relationship between humans and nature. The best way to prevent future pandemics is to minimize activities that destroy the natural environment such as deforestation, trade and consumption of unsustainable, high-risk wildlife, rather than passively. respond to disease outbreaks after they emerge. “Preventing a pandemic, it is estimated, will be 100 times less expensive than responding to a pandemic when it breaks out. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that investing in the health of the planet and nature is the only way to avoid paying a hefty economic and social cost,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General of the International Organization. on the International Conservation of Nature. Ms. Nguyen Dao Ngoc Van, Program Manager against illegal wildlife trade of the International Organization for Conservation of Nature in Vietnam commented: “In July 2020, the Prime Minister issued an Directive Decree No. 29/CT-TTg on some urgent solutions for wildlife management. We expect the Government to continue to closely guide the implementation, promptly reward ministries, branches and localities for good performance and strictly handle localities that have not performed well so that the Directive can come into effect. living”. The results of the Report are an important basis for Vietnam and other countries in the region to consider decisions on closing wildlife markets and closing forests to proactively prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic. as well as possible future outbreaks of wildlife-related diseases to humans. The International Organization for Conservation of Nature calls on policymakers to put in place the interventions needed to address the key drivers of zoonotic disease outbreaks in their pandemic control plans. Translate. For example, closing forests and closing high-risk wildlife markets will help restore animal populations and maintain biodiversity at the national and global levels. Thereby, epidemics can be adjusted naturally, as well as helping to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.