The United Kingdom wants to use genomic surveillance to prevent future pandemics

The UK government is launching an early warning system for pandemic diseases using advanced DNA sequencing technology. Developed in collaboration with Oxford Nanopore and other partners, the system aims to detect dangerous infections within hours of an outbreak and diagnose acute respiratory infections within six hours. It will also improve monitoring of viral diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The initiative seeks to prevent future pandemics from overwhelming the National Health Service. After successful testing at St Thomas' Hospital, the technology will be deployed at 10 to 30 NHS sites across the UK.