<p>In a <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/article/11055232">more recent BGG thread</a> concerning the <em>2nd edition</em>, the designer has clarified this rule further (be sure to check Matt's second post there).</p>

<p>In short, in the 2nd edition at least, you <strong>cannot</strong> use a special event card after an epidemic card has been revealed, until the epidemic process has been fully played out. An exception to this is the "Resilient Population" card, as stated on the card.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-22T15:09:34.567Z
2013-09-22T15:09:34.567Z
Alexandros
<p>This question <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/327192/special-events-and-epidemics-timing">was answered by Matt Leacock</a>, the designer of Pandemic, on BoardGameGeek:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>You can play the cards at any time, however, you can't play them
  between an event and the representation of the event on the board.
  Some scenarios may help explain this:</p>
  
  <p>Scenario 1: Player #1 has a Special Event card for "Resilient
  Population." During the draw, an Epidemic card is drawn. Since an
  Epidemic card was drawn, player #1 decides to play their Special Event
  card to remove a city from the infection discard pile before they are
  reshuffled. This is legal because the card was played before the cards
  were reshuffled.</p>
  
  <p>Scenario 2: A player may use the Forecast card to rearrange the cards
  on the top of the infection deck before they're drawn -- but once a
  card is drawn, the player can't rearrange the cards.</p>
  
  <p>Scenario 3: The Red disease has been [cured but not eradicated]. A player draws the
  Taipei card which results in the 8th outbreak. Since no time elapses
  between the drawing of the Taipei card (resulting in the infection)
  and the placing of the cubes (representing the infection), the players
  lose the game. It's not OK to Airlift the medic over to Taipei to cure
  because the cubes have already been added and the game has already
  been lost.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So in your specific example, yes you can play the Airlift card, if you do so between Epidemic steps.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-19T07:25:05.290Z
Note that this only applies to the first edition. See the answer of @Alexandros for how it is done in newer versions.
Tim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-08-05T01:53:45.873Z
2012-06-13T15:15:03.463Z
2012-06-13T15:15:03.463Z
ire_and_curses
<p>The Special Event cards all indicate they may be played "at any time". Are there any restrictions to "any time", i.e. in the middle of someone's turn? Suppose an epidemic card has been drawn -- can the airlift card be played while the epidemic steps are being applied?</p>

<pandemic>
Special event cards and timing
jro
# Special event cards and timing

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-08-05)

The Special Event cards all indicate they may be played "at any time". Are there any restrictions to "any time", i.e. in the middle of someone's turn? Suppose an epidemic card has been drawn -- can the airlift card be played while the epidemic steps are being applied?

**Tags:** pandemic


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2011-08-05. Score: 17 | Accepted answer

This question [was answered by Matt Leacock](http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/327192/special-events-and-epidemics-timing), the designer of Pandemic, on BoardGameGeek:

> You can play the cards at any time, however, you can't play them
> between an event and the representation of the event on the board.
> Some scenarios may help explain this:
>
> Scenario 1: Player #1 has a Special Event card for "Resilient
> Population." During the draw, an Epidemic card is drawn. Since an
> Epidemic card was drawn, player #1 decides to play their Special Event
> card to remove a city from the infection discard pile before they are
> reshuffled. This is legal because the card was played before the cards
> were reshuffled.
>
> Scenario 2: A player may use the Forecast card to rearrange the cards
> on the top of the infection deck before they're drawn -- but once a
> card is drawn, the player can't rearrange the cards.
>
> Scenario 3: The Red disease has been [cured but not eradicated]. A player draws the
> Taipei card which results in the 8th outbreak. Since no time elapses
> between the drawing of the Taipei card (resulting in the infection)
> and the placing of the cubes (representing the infection), the players
> lose the game. It's not OK to Airlift the medic over to Taipei to cure
> because the cubes have already been added and the game has already
> been lost.

So in your specific example, yes you can play the Airlift card, if you do so between Epidemic steps.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Note that this only applies to the first edition. See the answer of @username_1 for how it is done in newer versions.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-22. Score: 8

In a [more recent BGG thread](http://boardgamegeek.com/article/11055232) concerning the *2nd edition*, the designer has clarified this rule further (be sure to check Matt's second post there).

In short, in the 2nd edition at least, you **cannot** use a special event card after an epidemic card has been revealed, until the epidemic process has been fully played out. An exception to this is the "Resilient Population" card, as stated on the card.


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