Discussion:
The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919 spread worldwide and occurred in waves, resulting in the deaths of nearly five percent of the world population. Do you think the United States is vulnerable to a flu pandemic today? Why, or why not? What has changed since the Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-19 that affects your answer? Give specific examples to support your perspective.
PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY YOU AGREE WITH MY CLASSMATE RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS? (A MININUM OF 125 WORDS)
When most people think of the flu, they think of the seasonal flu. Pandemic flu is different and can be much worse. It can cause a worldwide outbreak of a new form of flu virus, which spreads easily from person to person because they have no immunity. The infected person has no immunity to the new virus and is not prepared to fight it. The U.S. is vulnerable to a flu pandemic. We are vulnerable because the vaccine takes time to make and it would be needed in very large quantities. It also could take up to six months to make and test it before being distributed. The flu virus could very well mutate several times by the time the vaccine is made making the vaccine ineffective. I personal never get the flu vaccine because I do not think it works. There have been many important efforts that have gotten us a little bit prepared in various ways. But overall we would face a lot of very, very serious problems across the country, because our vaccine production process takes time.