The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown into stark relief the gaps in the global ability to quickly identify, track, and combat the emergence of pathogenic threats. Such menaces include formerly unknown viruses of epidemic potential as well as the development of antibiotic resistance that threatens medical practice. As we fight the current pandemic and struggle to identify best ways to reopen communities worldwide, the need for a coordinated, active early warning system is more acute than ever. Now is the time to unite the global health community in mobilizing such a network. Leaders at the forefront of addressing this pandemic and preventing another will discuss what it will take to build an active, coordinated, and sustainable early warning system to detect and combat future threats.