The UK’s ability to prevent a future pandemic has been greatly enhanced with the announcement of a £1 billion investment in the new National BioSecurity Centre.
The funding will enable the next phase of the new National BioSecurity Centre, a cutting-edge science campus in Surrey, which serves as the UK’s cutting-edge animal biosecurity facility.
The investment is part of the new national security strategy and is part of the government’s change plan, indicating a shift in approach to creating employment, wages and growth while securing the UK’s profits.
Increased threat of animal disease outbreaks
The outbreak of animal diseases represents an increased serious risk to public health, food security and the UK economy.
Approximately 60% of all known human infections are zoonotic diseases, which can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Furthermore, about 75% of emerging infectious diseases come from animals, and fighting these diseases becomes a problem of both human health and safety.
Without a strong, modernized biosecurity infrastructure, disease invasion could have serious impact on farmers, agricultural production, the destruction of rural communities and disruptions in major supply chains. The export of livestock, meat, meat products, dairy products and animal byproducts is worth £16 billion a year just for the UK economy.
Manage disease outbreaks with enhanced biosecurity measurements
The National BioSecurity Centre will increase the detection, monitoring and control of high-risk animal diseases such as bird flu, foot and mouth diseases, and African pig fever, as well as improve the ability to manage the outbreak of concurrent disease.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “We have made record-breaking investments in the country’s biosecurity capabilities and national security after years of chronic funding shortages.
“Farmers and food producers are better protected from disease, our food security is strengthened, and public health is more protected against future pandemics.”
National Efforts to Mitigate the Threat of Disease
The new National BioSecurity Centre will play a key role in dealing with all the biological threats we face, including those from hostile countries, ensuring the UK has the expertise needed to maintain its scientific capabilities, infrastructure and international efforts.
The new facility will participate in a network of national centres established by the Cabinet Office under the UK’s Biological Safety Strategy and presented in the National Security Strategy.
This new network of government labs provides the essential sovereign capacity to keep the public safe and address biological security risks.
The network will strengthen and formalize existing cooperation between the UK Health Security Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and the Institute for Defense Science and Technology to ensure better preparedness for the crisis and a more effective response to future outbreaks.
Jenny Stewart, senior science director at Animal and Plant Health Agency, concluded:
“Weybridge scientists and experts are at the heart of UK disease surveillance and response capabilities, providing a global expertise centre for biosecurity.”
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