Influenza Pandemic Research Paper

What would we do when the next flu or influenza pandemic broke out? How could we prevent the virus from spreading? In this essay, I am going to find an answer on these questions.

In order to find the cure for an influenza pandemic, we first have to understand what the disease is and how it is spread. Influenza is a virus which is spread through air or by touch. Though we have antibiotics against bacterial diseases, there is no treatment comparable for viruses. However, there is a possibility to use antiviral drugs, but these do not cure the disease. Antiviral drugs only make sure the patient suffers less by reducing the symptoms of the virus.

If it is not possible to cure an influenza outbreak with the use of medicine, would it be possible to prevent the disease through vaccinations? Each year, people from high risk groups, such as the elderly or medical workers, are vaccinated against influenza. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to develop such a vaccine. Because of mutations, the virus changes every year and so, a new vaccine has to be developed each year. Moreover, people in poorer countries are not able to afford proper vaccines. Furthermore, we do not create enough vaccines to supply the
Because the virus is a human-to-human transmitter, it would be a logic response to shut down airports. However, this is not as effective as it seems. In an influenza pandemic you need masks, because besides spreading by touch, the virus is also spread through air. These masks are all made in Asian countries. If airports are shut down, the masks can not be transported to other countries. Another measure would be to wash your hands a lot, but it is doubted whether this would actually reduce transmission between people. Most of the transmission was because of people removing their masks improperly. While removing their masks, people touch the outside of the mask and then rubbed their