Two years ago, we issued a special report on healthcare trends, speaking with bankers, lenders, and private equity investors [link]. Last week we revisited one of our sources, a top healthcare investor, on the current state of affairs in the industry.

“Everyone’s an infectious disease expert now,” he told us in an interview. “We also need to change the way we look at infection. To put things in context, there are anywhere from 20,000-60,000 deaths annually from the seasonal flu, out of about 40 million cases. It affects infants and the elderly.

“Corona diseases have been mutatory. Real social change is driven by the need to solve national problems. Like seat belts. In 1968 the Federal Government mandated them for cars, but it took another sixteen years for states to begin requiring their use. With COVID-19 you need everyone to get vaccinated.”