When SARS struck, the pandemic preparedness plans came into effect. Under the direction of the WHO a small selection of laboratories, including Osterhaus' own lab in Rotterdam, were on the hunt for the cause; and on 16 April 2003 the Osterhaus lab managed to find the final and most rewarding piece of the puzzle. A press meeting was held at the WHO Geneva headquarters that same afternoon; a letter in Nature (Fouchier et al. 2003 ) and a royal decoration followed. Osterhaus reaped the rewards for the discovery and his status rose (Enserink 2003) . But what is more: the WHO prevented a pandemic. This marks the SARS crisis as a moment when virologists could control a crisis. Osterhaus himself noticed that his credibility, authority and power in science, politics and society rocketed.