Southeast Asia has had to respond to infectious disease outbreaks ranging from Nipah, SARS, Avian flu, to dengue and Japanese encephalitis in the past. Has it developed the capacity to deal with pandemics on a regional level? Melisa Idris and Sharaad Kuttan speak to Sara Davies, Professor in International Relations, Centre for Governance and Public Policy, Griffith University and author of “Containing Contagion: The Politics of Disease Outbreaks in Southeast Asia” (2019) as well as co-author of “Disease Diplomacy: International Norms and Global Health Security”.