Demographic trends of population mobility, high density, overexploitation of natural resources, household size, and aging people increase pandemics’ vulnerability. The movement of people within and between countries enhances the spread of pandemics. In the Spanish pandemic of 1918, the soldiers’ mobility during the first-World War contributed to the spread of flu among many countries in Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. The COVID19 pandemic spread across the world owing to massive international and local travel activities. The airline industry contributed significantly to the spread of coronavirus among countries worldwide because it serves millions of travelers.
The demographic trend of the density of population caused by urbanization enhances susceptibility to pandemics. In towns and cities, people are overcrowded in workplaces, streets, and commuter stations, resulting in close interactions and a heightened spread of pandemics. Moreover, increased pollution, and deficient hygienic and sanitation infrastructure increase the rate of infections in urban areas. As pandemics originate from animals, the population’s growth causes a shortage of resources, compelling people to encroach and overexploit food from wildlife where they contract pathogens. Household size is another trend that influences the impact of pandemics on families. Households that are large and comprising individuals from multi-generations are likely to experience a huge effect of pandemics compared to small nuclear families. As the aging population implies diminished immunity, the elderly are more susceptible to pandemics than young people. For instance, the corona pandemic showed that the elderly were more vulnerable than the youthful populations.