klaus
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Oct 8, 2009, 7:27 AM
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The World Health Organization’s concerns about the impending effects of the H1N1 influenza virus, or swine flu as some call it, arise from good intentions, but appear to downplay some of the realities prevalent in most 21st Century cultures. The WHO’s concerns stem from the experience garnered from the great “Spanish flu” pandemic of 1918-1919, which it is estimated resulted in some 50-100 million deaths world wide, representing between 3% and 6% of the global population. The Spanish flu’s mortality rate was between 10% and 20% of those who contracted the disease and the WHO fears that because the swine flu virus is genetically similar to the Spanish flu virus (H1N1 vs. H5N1), it will take a similar toll.
The Spanish flu predictably took a toll among both the very young, as well as the very old. But it also took a fair toll among individuals aged 25-34. This, apparently because healthy immune systems tended to overreact, resulting in a “cytokine storm”, which many individuals failed to survive.
Another similarity between swine flu and the 1918 strain is that both strains appear to have a second wave. The second wave of Spanish flu was much more devastating than the initial outbreak because the virus had mutated into a much deadlier strain.
All things being equal, it’s a good thing that the WHO is concerned about the outbreak of such a pandemic, but I believe that some of the concerns are highly overblown. What’s different today is the speed and quality of healthcare available to flu victims and the ability of the medical field to deal with such outbreaks. Should there be a severe swine flu pandemic this winter, society is much better prepared to deal with it than it was back during the 1918-1919 period.
The recent development of an H1N1 vaccine is one of the weapons in society’s arsenal that deals with the risk of the virus’s spread. The vaccine is not without critics, as some medical professionals fear the vaccine was rushed to market without sufficient testing to determine its safety. In 1976 a vaccine introduced to fight a similar flu strain was linked to an increased incidence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a paralyzing neurological disorder, albeit no direct link to the vaccine was ever proven.
Erring on the side of safety is better than having to be sorry. But in truth there have been fears about a worldwide flu pandemic almost every year since the 1980s and it is only a matter of time before a flu outbreak turns into and epidemic. Until then it makes sense to take all the usual precautions prudent people would normally take. Wash one’s hands often, frequently use a hand sanitizer upon visiting public places, avoid unnecessary ventures into places where large numbers of people tend to congregate and wear a face mask when out in public all serve to minimize the risk.
Older individuals should follow the guidelines above as well as take some additional precautions. These include maintaining one’s health through rest and proper nutrition, as well as consulting with one’s doctor about the possible need for antiviral drugs, such as oseltamivir or zanamivir. Having done all one can to avoid contracting the flu, enjoy life and don't allow excessive fear to curtail that enjoyment.
Klaus Rohrich is President and Creative Director of Taylor/Rohrich Associates Inc., a marketing and advertising firm that specializes in niche marketing retirement real estate developments
http://www.maturitymarketing.com.
(This post was edited by klaus on Oct 8, 2009, 12:35 PM)
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