Needs Statement

Many healthcare professionals are unaware of the impact of climate change and other 21st century forces, such as urbanization and human and animal migrations in promoting a regular cadence of pandemic threats. This lecture details and reports on how the confluence of these factors is causing the rise of catastrophic respiratory infections such as COVID or zoonotic influenza, as well as vector-borne and parasitic infections, particularly Texas and the other states on the Gulf of Mexico. We also explain how these forces are causing a similar rise in illness in Southern Europe, as well as other global regions including Central Latin America, the Arabian Peninsula, Sahelian Africa and elsewhere, and how these pandemic threats will become our "new normal."

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

• Summarize how recent pandemic threats such as COVID-19 and avian influenza are part of a greater cadence of pandemic threats from respiratory infections.
• Summarize why we seeing a similar rise in vector-borne and parasitic tropical infections, suchas dengue, zika, chikungunya, oropouche, Chagas disease, and hookworm infection.
• Outline why Texas and our U.S. Gulf Coast region are particularly vulnerable to these threats.
• Explain on new approaches to prepare for these regular pandemic threats and implement a climate health alert system.

Target Audience

Physicians, Medical Students, Fellows, Residents, Nurses, Patients/Consumers, and Other Healthcare Professionals