'Global pandemic' is a redundant phrase

Given their topicality, two of the emails I received last week form the basis of today’s discussion. Inter alia, the first one read: “Growing up in the English language from primary school through college, my tutors of English language taught me that the word ‘discuss’ is never followed by the preposition ‘about’. They would say for example- we will discuss that topic tomorrow and not- we will discuss about that topic tomorrow. Many a journalist in both the print and electronic media and other good speakers of English language have used ‘discuss about’ with abandon”.

The second email read; “Hi Alex, thanks for your important Monday column. Please remind the Kenyan media and the larger public in your next piece of the correct use of the word “pandemic”. Increasingly, in the face of the ongoing developments, Kenyan media uses the words “global pandemic” together. Basic English acknowledges that a pandemic is an epidemic of global extent. It’s thus repetitious to use the two together”.