Many of the viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that have caused major diseases in the past have had their origin in animals. Animals, even those that appear healthy, can sometimes carry harmful germs that spread to people and cause illness–these are known as zoonotic diseases. The Center for Disease Control stated on its website: “Zoonotic diseases are very common, both in the United States and around the world. Scientists estimate that more than 6 out of every 10 known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, and 3 out of every 4 new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.” 

Ed Winters, a vegan activist, believes veganism is the key to preventing viral pandemics. In a USA Today article, he said: “If we weren’t using animals for food, we wouldn’t have created situations where many of these diseases, including the latest coronavirus, were passed to humans.”

In his study, “Pandemics: History & Prevention,” Michael Greger M.D. explains the history of global pandemics and how consuming animals has caused many of the illnesses humans experience. He notes that the spread of these diseases is multifactorial, but that many of them originate in animals. AIDS, SARs, Ebola, Mad-Cow Disease, and Bird Flu are just some of the viruses that originated from animals. He claims that human beings have been living on Earth for thousands of years, but that the development of viruses only began about 10,000 years ago–when humans began to domesticate animals. When we began to consume domesticated cows and sheep, humans exposed ourselves to Measles, a virus that has thus far killed over 200 million people. Consuming pigs caused the whooping cough virus, and typhoid fever originated from chickens.

While cutting animal meat completely out of one’s diet has numerous benefits, including preventing viruses, many people still refuse to give up meat. Meat is nutritional, an excellent source of protein, supports bone health and contains iron, but many of these same benefits can be found in plant-based foods. Even if one is unable or does not want to completely give up eating meat, “consuming less animal products may help [prevent viruses],” said Dr. Homayoon Farzadegan, a professor of epidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. 

Cutting out meat completely could dramatically reduce the likelihood of experiencing another global pandemic. Getting rid of wet/live animal markets is a good first step to solving the issue. It is crucial, whether one decides to cut meat out of their diet or not, that we all advocate for the end of live animal markets around the world. Live markets are usually unsanitary and are hotspots for viruses. While SARs and COVID-19 are suspected to have originated from wet markets in China, wet markets do not solely exist in China. FreeFromHarm.org claims that “activists have rallied to shut down New York City’s 85 live animal markets and west coast live markets in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland.” Here in the United States, each state needs to take immediate action to outlaw wet markets in order to prevent the emergence of new or existing viruses. 

To avoid adding more viruses like COVID-19 to the ever-growing list of pandemic viruses we could have prevented, it is time we consider whether eating meat and domesticating animals for our consumption is worth the risk of deadly viruses and diseases.