At the start of the 1990s, these crises had more or less been brought under control. The causal agents were discovered and the era saw the development and implementation of policies in routine veterinary and human healthcare practices. The HIV/Aids epidemic stabilised in the Netherlands and government interest in infectious diseases decreased. This stability would last until 1997, when new infectious threats suddenly emerged. For the virologists this was a moment to once again assume visibility in public debate and involvement in policy development. The first H5N1 deaths marked the advent of a second crisis. Besides fears of an avian influenza pandemic, scientists and politicians were concerned about the growing threat of bioterrorism and outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. Finally, the outbreak of SARS in 2003 came as a complete surprise. It was SARS that highlighted the real danger of pandemic outbreaks, but that also triggered the awareness of preparedness and prevention plans as new instruments in preventing a pandemic from developing to its full capacity (Osterhaus 6 March 2009).