By the end of the 1970s the major health organizations considered severe epidemics/pandemics to be a thing of the past. Based on the increasing globalization old and new infectious diseases need to be considered anew as a definite problem.
The study "Influenza Pandemic in Germany 2020" - Scenarios and Action Options" analyses which challenges will lie ahead in the distant future and point out possible options for improved preparedness for the next pandemic.