The new strain of the H1N1 virus is making its way across the globe stoking fears of a new global influenza pandemic. Some health experts fear a return to the days of 1918 when the "Spanish Flu" swept across the globe and killed an estimated 30-100 million people. Americans are frightened by such a reality and are asking what can be done to prevent the spread of this potentially deadly virus.
What is Swine Flu?
To fight off this new virus, America must first know what it is dealing with. The new strain of the Swine Flu is actually a combination of:
- Bird Flu
- Pig Flu
- and Human Flu
Although America has dealt with a Swine Flu outbreak in the past, this strain of the virus seems to have mutated to make human-to-human transmission of the virus easier and more widespread. Symptoms of this virus are typical of regular human influenza and include high fever, coughing, sore throats, and occasional vomiting in some cases.
What Can People Do to Stop the Spread of Swine Flu?
On and individual level, the spread of Swine Flu can be slowed by just following basic sanitary guidelines such as, washing your hands, keeping your hands away from your face, and covering your mouth when you sneeze. It sounds simple, but germs spread through the population mostly because people do not always adhere to these guidelines.
Other ways citizens can help stop the spread of the virus are by going to the doctor at the first sign of illness. Also, staying away from large public gatherings and remaining home when you are sick will greatly reduce the chances that you or others will get infected with this virus.
What Can the Government Do to Stop the Spread of Swine Flu?
In reality, the government's options in this pandemic-like scenario are limited. Many have suggested that the government lock down the border with Mexico, the apparent source of the outbreak. However, Swine Flu has already had ample time to make its way through the U.S. and locking down the border would do little, if anything to stop its spread.
Health experts agree that the first case of Swine Flu probably occurred sometime in early March or late February, and we are just now beginning to diagnose virus. The best thing for the government to do at this point is to identify the victims of this deadly virus so that mass treatment and containment can begin.
Although only 91 cases have been reported in the U.S., it is likely that there are hundreds, if not thousands more affected and unaccounted for. By identifying these people, the government can begin to eradicate this virus before it can begin to take more American lives.
References
CNN
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Dept. of Homeland Security
Ronald Smith - Currently, Ronald is serving on active duty in the U.S. Army and is also attending the America Military University. He is majoring in ...
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