Virtual Event: Sandro Galea

Harvard Book Store's virtual event series and the Conservation Law Foundation welcome celebrated epidemiologist SANDRO GALEA—dean of the Boston University School of Public Health—for a discussion of his latest book, The Contagion Next Time. He will be joined in conversation by ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, founder of the Huffington Post and CEO of Thrive Global.

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While payment is not required, we are suggesting a $5 contribution to support this author series, our staff, and the future of Harvard Book Store—a locally owned, independently run Cambridge institution. In addition, by purchasing a copy of The Contagion Next Time on harvard.com, you support indie bookselling and the writing community during this difficult time.

About The Contagion Next Time

In a few short months, COVID-19 devastated the world and, in particular, the United States. It infected millions, killed hundreds of thousands, and effectively made the earth stand still.

Yet America was already in poor health before COVID-19 appeared. Racism, marginalization, socioeconomic inequality—our failure to address these forces left us vulnerable to COVID-19 and the ensuing global health crisis it became. Had we tackled these challenges twenty years ago, after the outbreak of SARS, perhaps COVID-19 could have been quickly contained. Instead, we allowed our systems to deteriorate.

Following on the themes of his award-winning publication Well, Sandro Galea's The Contagion Next Time articulates the foundational forces shaping health in our society and how we can strengthen them to prevent the next outbreak from becoming a pandemic. Because while no one could have predicted that a pandemic would strike when it did, we did know that a pandemic would strike, sooner or later. We're still not ready for the next pandemic. But we can be—we must be.

In lyrical prose, The Contagion Next Time challenges all of us to tackle the deep-rooted obstacles preventing us from becoming a truly vibrant and equitable nation, reminding us of what we've seemed to have forgotten: that our health is a public good worth protecting.

Praise for The Contagion Next Time

"In this unforgettable book, Sandro Galea expertly demonstrates that our investing in the healthiest population possible is literally an act of national security against a future pandemic. The Contagion Next Time issues a clear warning, and a clear way forward. This book can save us if we are serious about saving ourselves." —Ibram X. Kendi, bestselling author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist

"Dr. Galea's book proves it is possible for us to build a healthier world after Covid-19—and the first step is to protect the most vulnerable, whether they're in our own neighborhoods or across the globe. The Contagion Next Time is truly a must read." —Katie Couric, award-winning journalist

"Sandro Galea lays out critical steps that we must take as individuals and as a nation to address lessons learned from the pandemic. A must read for policy makers and anyone who wants to shape a healthier future for our country and the world." —Hilary Godwin, Dean, University of Washington School of Public Health