A vital, timely text on the viruses that cause pandemics and how to face them, by the New York Times bestselling author of HOW NOT TO DIE. From tuberculosis and measles to AIDS and COVID-19, these infectious diseases share a common origin story: human interaction with animals. Otherwise known as zoonotic diseases for their passage from animals to humans, these pathogens—both pre-existing ones and those newly identified—have sparked some of the deadliest plagues in history.

How did these diseases come about? And what—if anything—can we do to stop them and their fatal march into our communities, our homes, and our bodies? In How to Survive a Pandemic: Overcoming COVID-19 and Preventing the Next Deadly Outbreak, Dr. Michael Greger, physician and an internationally-recognized expert on public health issues, cuts through the prevailing noise and nonsense and reveals not only what we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones during a pandemic, but also digs deeper into the roots of the problem and tackles the fundamental question: How can we stop the emergence of pandemic viruses in the first place? If there is one concept Dr. Greger draws from his work on preventing and reversing chronic disease, it’s that we must—whenever possible—treat the cause.