Part 1: Key Concepts

Opening Questions 

Opening questions engage learners in a conversation related to the topic they are about to discover without focusing on right or wrong answers. You may use these, or other open-ended questions to kick off the lesson.

1. What does the word “epidemic” mean to you?
2. What does the term “pandemic” mean to you?
3. What do you understand about the ways that disease events could escalate to epidemic or pandemic status?

Instruction

Share the following video resources with learners to introduce key concepts related to disease outbreaks and epidemics. Facilitators may choose to present these videos during class or as pre-class homework. The resources are available free of charge through Coursera. Enrollment is required. 

1. Epidemics from The University of Hong Kong: 
   1. Historic Transitions and the Emergence of Epidemic Infections
   2. Why Novel Emerging Infectious Diseases Continue to Arise (1)
   3. Why Novel Emerging Infectious Diseases Continue to Arise (2)
   4. Why Novel Emerging Infectious Diseases Continue to Arise (3)

Discussion or Writing

Lead a group discussion or assign written reflections based on the learners’ experiences with this lesson. Prompts include:

1. Consider the major social and economic shifts that predicated historical epidemic events and share your thoughts on how current or evolving shifts in how humans live, work, socialize, and travel may create risks for epidemic or pandemic events of the future. Which historical risk factors are still relevant in current conditions, and which new risk factors should be considered in the context of pandemic preparedness?
2. The video material introduces multiple factors that create risk for the emergence of epidemic infections. These include:
   1. Microbial factors
   2. Environmental factors
   3. Human behavior and demographics
   4. Travel and commerce
   5. Technology, industry, and agriculture
   6. Wars, poverty, natural disasters
   7. Bioterrorism

While there is no consensus regarding the precise origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is strong evidence that several of these risk factors contributed to the emergence of the SARS coV-2 virus and the escalation of the outbreak to become the first severe pandemic of the 21^st century. Consider the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of these risk factors. Describe how each risk factor does or does not apply to the COVID-19 pandemic and identify any additional risk factors you think should be added to this list based on the COVID-19 pandemic.