Hanta: Intensive Self-Study Course

The cartoon depicts the Hanta virus lying calmly on the deck of a ship, enjoying the sunshine while reading a book about COVID-19, as if taking an intensive self-study course in preparation for a new phase of global spread. The idea is based on the scientific fact that viruses constantly evolve, as though they are learning how to evade medicines and vaccines and adapt to the methods humans develop to combat them.

Through this satirical scene, the cartoon raises a reverse question: if viruses “learn” from their previous experiences, can humans also learn from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic? And have we become better prepared to cooperate and make use of scientific knowledge in order to prevent another global pandemic?