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Essay on the history of influenza
Essay on the history of influenza
Influenza epidemic of 1918-1919
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H1N1 Influenza (“Swine Flu”) is a flu pandemic that has recently spread all around the world. The Swine Flu began its massive spread through Mexico in April (2009) and by June, the World Health Organization raised the alert level to a full-blown pandemic across the globe. The virus has spread rapidly throughout the world. Luckily, the governments around the globe have offered an immunization flu shot against this pandemic that is available to some citizens at this present time. In Lawrence Gostin's “Swine Flu Vaccine: What Is Fair?” (2009), he explains his doubts for the Swine Flu vaccination by emphasizing how rich countries have a large advantage over poor countries in receiving the vaccine, how high authorities are hardly helping the poor countries with their struggle to afford vaccinations, and what groups of people are considered the “priority groups” throughout America.
I feel that it is definitely advisable for everyone to be vaccinated against H1N1 Influenza (“Swine Flu”) because the vaccination can prevent citizens from contracting the flu and from spreading the flu further, even though most citizens are not qualified to receive the vaccine at this time due to priority population groups receiving them first.
First, it is advisable that everyone should get vaccinated against the H1N1 Influenza because it can prevent citizens from contracting the Swine Flu. The Swine Flu is undoubtedly a very dangerous flu at this time and this means that everyone should be trying their best to be protected from it. In conjunction with washing your hands regularly and staying away from people that have any symptoms of the flu, the H1N1 Influenza vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from this dangerous pandemic. The sad realit...
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...flu further, even though most citizens are not qualified to receive the vaccine at this time due to priority population groups receiving the vaccinations first. Gotin states that “public health departments, clinics, and hospitals will have to gear up for fair and efficient distribution, with a sophisticated tracking system. And this will be on top of the expected surge in demand for their services–both from those with swine flu and the many others who are fearful and seek medical attention” (10). It is important that organizations keep up their production levels to ensure that everyone in the world is able to receive their vaccine quickly before the spread of the virus progresses. I think that it is extremely important for organizations to make these essential vaccinations widely available for everyone in the entire world to protect all individuals across the globe.
Health care policies are put into place regarding childhood immunization requirements for schools, along with information on obtaining religious exemptions. Each state and/or country develops their own individualized guidelines through interactions with federal and state government agencies. One in five babies around the world are missing out on basic vaccines and may die from weak health systems and insufficient funding. UNICEF and its partners are working to change these numbers and ensure that all children are successfully protected with vaccines.
The Influenza virus is a unique respiratory viral disease that can have serious economic and social disruption to society. The virus is airborne transmitted through droplets release by coughing or sneezing from an infected person or by touching infected surfaces. Symptoms range from mild to severe and may even result in death. People with the virus usually experience fever, headache, shivering, muscle pain and cough, which can lead to more severe respiratory illness such as pneumonia. People most susceptible to the flu virus are elderly individuals and young children as well as anyone whose health or immune system has been compromise. The most effective way to counteract the influenza virus is to get the flu vaccine which is available by shots or nasal spray before the flu season as well as practicing safe hygiene. (CDC, 2013)
Although people should have the freedom to choose to be vaccinated, the public needs to be educated about the personal, economical, and social benefits of receiving the influenza vaccine. In addition, people who are at a high risk of contracting influenza as well as health care providers should be encouraged to receive an influenza vaccine in order to decrease the major health burden associated with the disease. Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a viral infection of the respiratory system and it is characterized by abrupt onset of fever, sore throat, and nonproductive cough. Influenza is spread from person to person by inhalation of the droplets produced when a person infected with influenza coughs or sneezes. In addition, it can also be spread by contact with infected objects such as utensils.
Every year, tens of thousands Americans die from the seasonal flu alone. This alarming statistic is what led the United States government to urge the country to vaccinate themselves, as well as their children every November, when the flu season is fast approaching. Though countless Americans do follow the government’s plea, many others insist that these vaccines distributed every year (as well as other year-long vaccines) contain an abnormally high amount of thimerosal, (a mercury-based chemical in vaccines designed to prevent the growth of bacteria) which could eventually lead to autism. This generation of fear is what has led many concerned parents to refuse to vaccinate their children, who seem to be the most vulnerable to this disease. However, can we really trust a rumor to fuel our doubts of America’s struggle to fight disease among our people? Can we discontinue our trust in the health department because of paranoia? No. Even if autism may be an effect of these vaccines, it is our duty, our responsibility to protect the good of the public by preventing an outbreak of this infl...
Some of the most fatal and dangerous diseases known to the human race are measles, polio, and diphtheria. Before the 1900s, these diseases caused communities to live in fear as they went about their daily activities. Since then, vaccines have been a solution created to prevent people from acquitting these horrendous sicknesses. “In the 20th and 21st centuries, many people in the United States have not personally encountered some of the diseases that are now vaccine-preventable” (p. 132). However, even with a major advancement in medicine, there are still children all across the United States that are being deprived of life saving vaccinations. The universal vaccination dilemma causes moral principles such as beneficence and justice to be debated continuously in regards to how nurses provide care to patients.
Influenza is a major public health problem which outbreaks all over the world. Resulting in considerable sickness and death rates. Furthermore, it is a highly infectious airborne disease and is caused by the influenza virus. Influenza is transmitted easily from one person to another person which has a great impact on society. When a member of society becomes sick, it is more prone to spread to other people. In the United States, every year between 5 to 20 percent of the population is affected by influenza. As a result of this, between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths have occurred per year (Biggerstaff et al., 2014). Therefore, the influenza vaccine is the most effective strategy to prevent influenza. This essay will examine two significant reasons for influenza vaccination which are the loss of workforce and economic burden as well as one effect regarding herd immunity.
Influenza is very contagious and spreads rapidly from person to person. Influenza causes worldwide yearly epidemics. According to World Health organization Influenza affects 5-15% world’s population and resulting in 500,000 deaths yearly. Ottenberg stated that, in United States, an average of 200,000 were hospitalized and 36,000 died each year from influenza complications. Influenza is the sixth leading cause of death among US adults and is related to 1 in 20 death in persons older than 65 years. Disease control and prevention estimates indicate that infections like H1N1 which is one of the types of influenza, have resulted in an estimated 42 to 86 million cases and 8520 to 17620 deaths. As I mentioned earlier that infections like influenza are very contagious, they can spread easily from hcw to Patient and back to hcw. The most efficient and effective method of preventing influenza infection is vaccination(The best way to prevent influenza is with annual vaccination).(Sullivan,2010) (Gregory,Tosh &Jacobson, 2005). Motivated by a desire to actively avoid illness Influenza may increase the risk for death in people with existing heart, lung, or circulation disorders. In fact, the higher than average number of winter deaths in people with heart disease may be due only to the occurrence of influenza during those months.Vaccination provides immunity to fight against infection.To increase resistance to harm by modifying the environment to minimize preventable illness (NEED TO CHANGE WORDING)
Illnesses have long haunted the human race. As long as these illnesses have existed, humans have developed ways to cure themselves, beginning with simple herbs and proceeding as far as vaccines and complex medicines. One cure that long eluded scientists was that of the influenza virus. Now, the influenza vaccine, or flu shot, saves thousands of lives a year and helps prevent serious complications resulting from influenza infection.
Believe it or not, but investing money in vaccines actually helps our economy. When a person thinks about it, it makes sense. For every vaccine you receive, the less likely you will have to pay medical expenses if you get sick. And that money adds up, “Every $1 invested in immunization returns an estimated $16 in health-care savings and increased economic productivity” (Bustreo par. 4). Using those statistics, every ten dollars a person spends on getting a flu vaccine potentially saves them one hundred-sixty dollars from doctor visits. Imagine what that could do in third world countries where hundreds of people are dying everyday from vaccine-preventable diseases. Imagine how quickly that money could add up. Not only would it save their citizens’ lives, it would actually help their economy
Vaccinations are designed to help people go through their everyday life. A country doctor, Edward Jenner, who lived in Berkeley, England, first administered vaccines in 1796 (Health Affairs). Throughout history, vaccinations have become better to where they are safer for the human body. Everyone should get vaccinated against certain disease to stay healthy. Vaccines have been proven to make people immune to serious diseases (Childhood Immunization). By being vaccinated the person is not only helping themselves but others around them too. Vaccines are an important tool for preventing disease and should be mandatory for all people.
Currently, one cannot explore the news without coming across the topic of the swine flu, scientifically known as H1N1. Swine flu is a respiratory infection derived from the influenza virus. The virus contains genetic materials from human, swine, and avian flu viruses. It was first identified in spring 2009, and since then has spread rapidly across the globe. The infection’s spread has been verified as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. As soon as the swine flu virus was isolated, scientists quickly developed a swine flu vaccine. Four vaccines have been approved by the FDA for the prevention of the swine flu. The vaccines will be ready for distribution in October 2009. Now the question is: To vaccinate, or not to vaccinate? Millions of people are now preparing to answer this question.
Over the course of history, illnesses and pandemics have had a tremendous economic impact. Economic historians often struggle to calculate the economic impact of these events however, due to the lack of accurate records. The exception is the flu epidemic of 1918, which had a long lasting and significant impact on the world economy. In a ten month period stretching from late 1918 into early 1919, over 40 million people worldwide died as a result of the flu epidemic, about 4% of the world’s population. In comparison, the AIDS epidemic has killed 25 million people since 1981. In the United states alone over 700,000 people died, which is greater than the total number of American deaths in both World Wars, The Korean War, and Vietnam, combined. One of the major takeaways from studying the flu epidemic is that it offers a real life example of what impact population shocks have on economies. Major plaques such as the black plaque lack the data required to arrive at a conclusive analysis, while economic theory is too ambiguous to accurately model the situation. In the case of the 1918 flu epidemic, known commonly as the Spanish Flu, records exist which allow economists to draw conclusions on the impact of population shocks on the world economy.
There is a vaccination against the H1N1 virus that is available by shot or nasal spray. It is recommended that those who are the highest level of risk get the vaccination before it is too late. The vaccine is the best protection against the virus. Side effects of the shot may include soreness, redness, and swelling at injection site, fainting, headaches, fever and nausea. Side effects from the nasal spray include a runny nose, headache, vomiting, aches and a fever. Serious side effects may include difficulty breathing, hives, paleness, weakness, dizziness and a high fever. The vaccines are usually given at the beginning of the flu season to those who aren’t at much risk. But those who are at high risk should get the vaccine yearly.
During the frigid winter months, the flu takes ahold of the entire country, constraining it in a cough-ridden, congested grasp until taking its leave in the warm months of spring. Several strains of the influenza virus compose collectively of the flu, and these strains mutate — or alter their genetic composition — as the virus creeps into and out of the people and animals it infects. Throughout the year, researchers and doctors scramble to find the most effective prevention for the evasive flu so that one may not feel its wrath. Their main weapon, the vaccination, comes with an apprehensiveness that extends beyond a dread of needles. For the vaccine’s dependence on a prediction, many blast the injection as ineffective and temporary: the flu virus’ mutations necessitate the development of a new shot every year. (Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine, CDC.gov) Others contend that the shot can harm as much as the virus itself, pointing to the potential for allergic reactions and sometimes severe side effects as evidence. With the risk of side effects and unclear effectiveness in mind, many will elect to either not vaccinate or seek treatment after the flu hits; a common treatment for the flu, the antiviral, disintegrates the virus after it strikes, yet its effectiveness has increasingly declined. While the flu vaccination does not provide comprehensive protection against the influenza virus, the vaccine, in conjunction with other precautionary — not reactionary — measures, provides the needed defense against contraction. Additionally, while a potential recipient should weigh the risk of side-effects and allergic reactions, a doctor can predict allergic reactions by the patient’s medical history and by running tests; other side-effect...
In 1918-19 approximately 50 million deaths were a detriment of the Spanish H1N1 virus pandemic; a respiratory virus. According to the World Health Organization, the second Influenza A H1N1 pandemic in 2009 spread to more than 200 countries causing more than 18 000 deaths. Before the World Health Organization had announced the official end of the pandemic in August 2010, in July 2009 the World Health Organization sent out a phase 6 warning that H1N1 could soon be a global pandemic. It is important to recognize that the 2 different outbreaks had different A/H1N1strains effecting the world population; this suggests A/H1N1has a high ability for mutation, severely complicating the human body’s natural immune mechanism of antigenic drift. (Qi-Shi Du et al., 2010)