World leaders hope to prepare for Disease X, prevent next pandemic. Is NY doing enough?

Hypothetical Disease X pandemic preparedness talks among world leaders last week underscored key gaps in New York's efforts to avoid repeating deadly mistakes the state made in handling COVID-19.

An independent review of New York's COVID-19 response was expected to be finished late last year, but the release date still remains unclear, hindering pandemic policy debates.

Some Republican lawmakers slammed Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul for failing to deliver the after-action COVID-19 report by the one-year deadline in November. New York is spending $4.3 million in tax dollars on the study by outside consulting firm Olson Group Ltd.

At the same time, health care leaders and emergency management officials have released sweeping pandemic response plans amid ever-evolving understanding of global infectious-disease risks.

But critical state measures intended to protect the most vulnerable New Yorkers — such as nursing home staffing minimums — have also stumbled repeatedly in the face of industry pushback and national workforce shortages.

What is Disease X?

Disease X does not exist — at least, not yet.

Rather, the theoretical term "represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease,” according to the World Health Organization. The "X" means "unexpected," but that doesn't mean leaders aren't concerned with ensuring the world is ready in case a deadly virus strikes.

Disease X: What to know about the hypothetical pandemic world leaders hope to prevent

World leaders gathered in Switzerland last week for the World Economic Forum discussed Disease X, reigniting global interest in pandemic preventive measures that had waned after officials declared the COVID-19 pandemic emergency over last spring.

How is NY improving pandemic preparedness?

In March, New York released the updated "pandemic annex" for the state emergency plan, which address the legal, political and logistical aspects of emergency management efforts.

The 65-page document includes sweeping instructions for handling an infectious disease, ranging from quickly responding to outbreaks in other countries to New York authorities culling specific species of animals that could spread viruses to humans.

Protecting vulnerable: Judge tosses lawsuit challenging New York nursing home staffing law. Is enforcement next?

Many of the tactics deployed to contain COVID-19 remain in the state's pandemic playbook, ranging from travel bans and medical supply stockpiling to closing down businesses and schools. There are also guidelines related to everything from establishing overflow sites for treating the ill, such as the Naval hospital ship that arrived in New York City, to imposing mask mandates and "micro-cluster" restrictions.

But the lack of an independent review of the effectiveness of many of those policies raises conflict of interest concerns about the decision to keep them in the emergency plan. Put differently, the latest pandemic plan asserts, in part, that state employees and elected officials involved in handling COVID-19 made the right decisions.

State Senator James Tedisco, R-Saratoga Springs, asserted officials urgently need the independent review report "to ensure New York State is better prepared for a future health crisis that could be around any corner."

"Pandemics don’t abide by political timetables," he added in a statement this month. The lawmaker's bill seeking to establish a state commission to investigate how New York's COVID-19 response impacted nursing home deaths is also being debated in Albany.

Eric Lagatta of USA TODAY contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Disease X: World leaders prep for next pandemic. Is NY doing enough?