Will Swine Flu (H1N1) become an Epidemic or Pandemic in 2010?

H1N1 influenza A is also commonly known as the swine flu. The swine flu is believed to have originated in Mexico and then quickly started spreading. The swine flu is a dangerous type of flu because it is a new strain. The swine flu is thought to be a combination of bird flu, swine flu and human flu. This particular strain of flu has the potential be become an epidemic in 2009 because people have never before been exposed to it and therefore don’t have any immunity built up against it.

This lack of immunity within the population is what has the makings of a possible epidemic or pandemic in 2009. An epidemic is when a higher than expected number of people contract seasonal flu in a specific area or part of the country. A pandemic is a global outbreak that is most often the result of a new strain of influenza. There have been many pandemics throughout history. The Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 killed somewhere between 20 and 40 million people worldwide and is the most deadly pandemic in recent history.

Swine flu has already become global making a pandemic a real possibility. The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) provides global health leadership over the U.N. The WHO has a system in place for assessing the level of an influenza outbreak. This system has 6 phases of preparedness that rate the current level of influenza outbreak globally. The final level, phase 6, is the highest level of preparedness meaning the influenza has become a pandemic.

The CDC and WHO have been preparing for epidemics and pandemics for decades. Preparing for influenza outbreaks includes putting procedures in place that are used to get ready in case a flu outbreak occurs. The United States is extremely well prepared and ready to handle a flu outbreak. Preparations include educating local, regional and state resources in how to handle a flu epidemic or pandemic.

It is important that the public be aware of the ways that they can avoid getting and spreading the swine flu. Public awareness and participation will help to keep the disease under control. With today’s Internet, television and radio broadcasts the information about swine flu (H1N1) can be widely distributed to a major portion of the population. This helps to keep everyone aware of what they can do to help protect themselves and their families from getting the swine flu.

There is currently no preventative inoculation for this new strain of H1N1 influenza A; however, work is being done right now to come up with one. The current method of treatment for swine flu is to take Tamiflu, a prescription medication that is designed to help reduce the severity of the symptoms. Swine flu is not dangerous for most people who get it. The swine flu can lead to severe complications in those with lowered immune systems. Most often, however, swine flu does not require hospitalization and the patient can recover at home in a few days to a week.