Last Updated: Preparedness Costs Only Fraction Of Impact Of A Pandemic, But Returns Exponential: Harsh Vardhan Preparedness costs only fraction of impact of a pandemic, but returns exponential: Harsh Vardhan New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) An important lesson COVID-19 has taught is that preparedness costs only a fraction of the impact of a pandemic, but the returns on this investment are exponential, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said Wednesday, underlining the need for greater collaboration between countries on various aspects of health. He made these remarks during his virtual address to the conference on "COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call for Health Security and Peace in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region", a health ministry statement said.