Pandemic impact on people’s lives
What happens to the lives of people, when there is a
pandemic like the H1N1 virus? In a brief H1N1 recap, it becomes
apparent that medical scientists can explain how flu pandemic explains the scope
of a pandemic, but not its impact on the lives of people.
"The 2009 outbreak of a new
strain of Influenza A, virus subtype H1N1 created concerns that a new pandemic
was occurring. In the latter half of April 2009, the World Health
Organization's pandemic alert level was sequentially increased from three to
five, until the announcement on 11 June, 2009, that the pandemic level had been
raised to its highest level, level six." (1)
At that time, there was the grave reality
of a global health crisis. Until the time that it reached level six, it was an
epidemic.
"This was the first pandemic on this
level, since 1968. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health
Organization, gave a statement on 11 June 2009, confirming that the H1N1 strain
was indeed a pandemic, having nearly 30,000 confirmed cases worldwide."
(2)
The pandemic, based upon the number of
cases of H1N1 infection, led medical professionals and health care educators
everywhere to take immediate action, but it also raised concerns and
questions.
For instance, is the difference between
an epidemic and pandemic strictly a medical, scientific differentiation in
scope, based only upon numbers? Obviously, the scope of the H1N1 infection
based only on numbers could vary on any particular day, or in any part of the
world. What does it really mean when medical scientists refer to the scope of
the H1N1 pandemic? Other words for scope might include magnitude or the extent
of a disease. It records the number of incidents of infection, documented and
reported.
On the other hand, what is the impact of
the H1N1 infection?
What does the impact of the H1N1
infection imply or signify to people around the world?
From a medical, scientific perspective,
are there other implications with regard to impact? Is it only in terms of the
scope, extent or magnitude of the infectious disease that medical scientists
decipher the significance of the data they have collected? In other words, is
medical science just a numbers crunch or does it entail the more humane
elements of care, compassion and concern that have more to do with impact of
the H1N1 pandemic on people's lives?
Is there yet another way to look at H1N1
pandemic impact?
Note that whether this is purely numbers or care, compassion and concern related, commitment on the part of the medical
scientists is still essential. Perhaps what keeps medical science on its toes
is the reality of the impact of something like the H1N1 pandemic on the lives
of human beings everywhere.
One cannot disregard the importance of
the medical, scientific scope of the H1N1 pandemic, in terms of its actual
numbers. Nor can one disregard its impact in terms of human lives lost and saved.
Let us look at the word 'pandemic'
further.
'Pandemic' is rooted in the Greek word
'pan' meaning 'all' and 'demos' meaning 'people'. (3)
Thus the use of the word 'pandemic'
suggests that it may involve all of the people in the world.
Let us explain this further.
A pandemic "is an epidemic of
infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large
region; for instance a continent, or even world wide." (4)
Taking this definition further, "A
widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are
getting sick from it, is not a pandemic." (5)
In other words, the pandemic is continually
growing in magnitude or scope. This is what the medical scientists are
attempting to track.
"According to the World Health
Organization, a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met:
emergence of a disease new to a population; agents infect humans, causing
serious illness; and agents spread easily and sustainability among humans."
(6)
"A disease or condition is not a
pandemic merely because it is widespread or kills many people; it must also be
infectious." (7)
Now, let us look at the word 'impact',
its meaning and signification.
"Impact, in general, can refer to
the influence or effect of an object. In science, however, it can refer to the
collision of two objects. In medicine, it can refer to impinge." (8)
In terms of science, there is also the
'impact factor,' which is "a measure of the citations to a science or
social science journal." (9)
What does all of this mean?
The majority of the world population will
probably not understand fully what a pandemic signifies, involves or why one is
declared by medical scientists. They will understand numbers of cases of an
infectious disease that may affect them regardless of where they are living or
traveling in the world.
The H1N1 virus impacts people is such a
way that it creates an infection that quickly spreads to others. It can also
impinge upon factors other than their health including their livelihood and
economic status.
On a larger scale, it can interfere
significantly with their human interaction particularly in terms of their financial
resources, transport and trade. That in turn can affect the government, as well
as the governments of other countries particularly when it involves
international trade agreements and transactions.
The full impact factor from the H1N1 may
not be felt, known or documented immediately as this kind of information is not
always immediately available. Global economists and others will document this
later.
While the world may be critical of the
work of medical scientists with regard to the scope of the H1N1, it will become
evident that their work has not been in vain. The global impact of the H1N1
pandemic is likely to be recorded in history as having been lessened by their
vigilance including their care, compassion and concern for fellow man.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
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