I am Fiona Oakes,  a 4 x Guinness World Record holder in distance running events, ultra endurance athlete, selected to run for my Country, 5 decades vegan, active advocate of the benefits of a plant based living system and subject of the Award Winning Documentary 'Running for Good'.

I would like to petition all Governments and the World Health Organisation to drive forward a global debate on the initiative to support a viable and sustainable plant based living policy to end animal agriculture and with it, radically reduce prospects of the occurrence of another similar pandemic to Covid-19. 

We are currently experiencing a global pandemic affecting the lives of billions of people, Governments, Scientists, Health Care Professionals, Economists, Banks, Businesses are all striving and struggling to formulate plans to achieve an Exit strategy from the current crisis.  Emphasis is now being focussed on a Vaccine which will take months - if not years - to trial, validate and circulate.  In this period of time, the global economy is projected to suffer it's greatest downturn in recorded history in which time many businesses such as hotels, aviation, restaurants, music venues, theatres, cinemas, sporting events may simply not be able to survive.  The whole model for the way we conduct our lives from birth to death, our business, our social interaction and our leisure has had to be reshaped because of this pandemic but little, if no, emphasis is being focussed on preventing such a disaster reoccurring.  Zoonotic diseases are extremely common,around the world. and 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.   One of the main contributors to this is ingesting animal products.  Those at most risk are the very young, the very old, those with inhibited and compromised immune systems and pregnant women.

I would like to engender active debate on the individual's ability and responsibility to protect and prepare themselves both mentally and physically, to combat not only Covid- 19 but all preventable disease and infection.   Eating a healthy, whole food, plant based diet , regular exercise, not smoking, drinking alcohol, using of narcotics and focussing on mental well-being are all key issues in facilitating a healthy, functioning immune system which would position people in a far better place to cope with and combat disease but prevention is far better than cure and this is where our focus of attention should be.  

A Vaccine quite possibly will be found for Covid-19 but what financial, physical and mental cost has already been inflicted on the planet and it's inhabitants?  The impact of this crisis on mental health alone is totally unmeasured - especially in the very young and elderly.  Add this to the economic downturn sure to come, the social unrest and insecurity this will bring then surely now is the time to look for alternative solutions and preventions.   A Vaccine for this current strain of disease does not protect us against the prospect of another, even more deadly, strain emerging.  Currently SARS, MERS, Nipah, Swine Flu, Avian Flu and Ebola are all but a few highly contagious diseases with a potential for huge, global death and destruction and all caused from humans ingesting animals.  As globalisation continues, world travel becomes more prevalent, far reaching and available to all and with it the likelihood for untraceable and uncontainable spread of disease becomes ever more heightened and increased.

With an understanding that plant based living would be undermining of many people's lifestyle choices we have to take on board that it is no longer a viable 'choice' to consume animals if the outcome of this choice is global disaster, destruction, death and depression on a monumental scale such as we are witnessing unfold at the present time.  Resources and initiatives could be put in place to help those involved in these industries transition towards non animal based agriculture, something which may be onerous and challenging at the onset but in the medium to longer term has to be the more attractive option than the likelihood of a repeat occurrence of the crisis we are enduring at the present time.  The world economy could obviously sustain and support such initiatives as is proven by the unprecedented amount of financial resources which is being raised to offset and limit the impact of the current crisis.  I do have personal experience of the effects of such a withdrawal of financial income and relative security as my Father, in the Mining industry, was on Strike and out of work for a year with no Furlough payments, food banks or financial aid of any sort.  It was extremely tough to survive but not impossible and we should learn from this model and move forward for the greater good and future of all.

Loss of liberty, domestic abuse, livelihood, physical wellbeing, mental health, unprecedented family bereavement are just a few, immediate consequences of a global disaster so far reaching it is almost incomprehensible.  Let us join together to limit the chances of further, similar incidence and discuss plant based options for current and future generations as viable, sustainable and feasible.