World Zoonoses Day is a global awareness day held every 6 July, the anniversary of the day in 1885 when Louise Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against rabies. In 2021, it comes once again in the midst of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, a disease of zoonotic (animal) origin. To date, 3.9 million deaths from COVID-19 have been reported to the World Health Organization.

We will be using the day once again to take time out to reflect on our own work, researching avian influenza, a zoonotic disease which also has pandemic potential, and foodborne diseases. We will also be reflecting on the many millions of people whose lives and livelihoods have been and continue to be affected by these and other zoonotic diseases.

If you are able to, please join us in this silence.