This is a fabulous premise. It has multiple storylines, a must for a good movie. In fact IMO good characters and multiple, solid storylines, driven by the characters, is the basis for a good movie script.

"Ironically, the anthrax incident, which was itself the result of an escaped pathogen from a
biodefense lab, contributed to a surge in labs engineering deadly pathogens." If it matters, I believe the anthrax letters sent to members of Congress after 911 contained anthrax that was later determined to indeed have originated from US military labs.

"Lindstrom is the celebrity scientist. He’d been portrayed in a popular movie as a brilliant maverick. " Bat lady?

"At the same time he’s an idealist. As a scientist he knows that humans are destroying the planet - may even be beyond redemption already. He attributes an increase in viruses to the same human impact that is causing climate change - he discusses the idea with his friends, in jest, that it might be a good thing if humanity had a wake up call in the form of a virus unleashed." The "in jest" bit here is the hook. What went wrong? How did it go from a whim to reality?