Swine Flu in the United Kingdom - Essay Example

Swine Flu in United Kingdom Emergence of Heath Issue Swine flu hit headlines in early 2009 when there were a number of reported cases of infection. Different media houses used different names to attract the attention of people all over the world. While some people termed it pig influenza, others recognised the infection as hog flu, others pig flu while the remainder stuck to swine flu. All these infections are caused by a single virus commonly known as swine influenza (Dumar, 2009:9). The swine influenza virus is known to have originated in pigs and it is a strain of the family of influenza viruses. By mid 2009, more information had circulated all over the world in relation to the swine flu. The most prevalent subtypes of the swine flu that were known were H1N1, H1N2, H2N1, and H3N1. Prevalence of Swine Flu Swine flu or the swine influenza virus is considered common in the world especially in places that have large pig populations. Since the virus originates in pigs, it is easy to get affected by the virus when a person is in constant contact with pigs. However, the virus transmission from the pigs to human is not common. Since the transmission of the virus from the pigs to humans is rare, there are minute chances of a human being suffering from human flu. This is due to the reaction of the body to the virus. With such a reaction, the virus will not result into human flu but will only release antibodies in the blood stream. Such a situation is commonly referred to as zoonotic swine flu. It is declared that people that are in constant contact with pigs are at a higher risk of contacting swine flu infection as compared to people that have rare contact with pigs. The Epidemic The first case of swine flu was reported in Scotland, shortly after a flight from Mexico on the 27th of April in 2009 (Gallagher, 2013:1). This case was diagnosed and reported to have strains of H1N1 virus (Gallagher, 2013:1). After this first cases, the infections spread across the world rapidly. By the 17th of May, more than a hundred cases of infection had been confirmed. This was a shocker to the whole world due to the way the cases were spreading in the whole world. Previously, it was considered that swine flu could only affect the people that are in constant contact with pigs. However, this was not the case after the confirmation of the first case of swine flu. In this situation, the swine flu infections were spreading from one person to another when there is close contact. This was a situation that led to outburst by many nations to ensure the spread of the swine flu was controlled and maintained at the lowest minimum (Great Britain:Parliament:House of Lords:Science and Technology Committee, 2009:12). This was due to the fact that the flu would spread to a large number of people especially in public places. For example, when people are in an airport, they could interact with a person that has the flu. In this situation, many people would be affected. Therefore, controlling the movement of people from swine flu prone areas would be a prudent consideration. This would reduce transportation of swine flu from affected areas to other areas that are secure. Moral Panics In ensuring the infection was maintained at low minimum, travel agencies especially in the united kingdom had to screen and test people for the virus. This was safety standard that would ensure the affected people are cordoned in safer places, to avoid any contact to other people. Individuals who wanted more protection were advised to wear nose and mouth apparels. These apparels prevent inhalation of the virus through air. In essence, there was need to control the spread of the infection as it had proved to spread faster than any other infection that had been discovered in the world. Statistics to Indicate Why it is a Problem The United Kingdom was one of the countries that were drastically affected by the pandemic. It was one of the countries that needed extended protection to ensure its citizens were safe from the pandemic. Though most of the flights from Mexico were not welcome, the pandemic had already affected the region and it needed more advanced decisions to control the infections. On the 26th of May in 2009, there was a record of the first ever infection that affected a large number of people in a single setting. 50 students in Birmingham primary school were diagnosed with the infections of swine flu. The infections were later recorded at 74 students after other tests were conducted. This was an indication that swine flu was to affect a larger part of the population, and by the 13th of June 2009, more than 1, 000 people had been diagnosed with the infections. By 30th June, hardly two months after the discovery of swine flu, more than 6, 000 people had been diagnosed with swine flu infections in the United Kingdom alone. A week later, there was a confirmation that there were seven people that had died due to infections of swine flu. Three days later, the United Kingdom government announced that over 9, 000 people were infected with swine flu. On the same day, it was announced that 14 deaths had occurred due to the effects of the swine flu pandemic. After a week, the numbers were escalating (Gallagher, 2013:1). The number of death were recorded at 29 while infections had risen to 85, 000. By mid October, more that 106 deaths had occurred due to infections from swine flu. However, the government had worked tirelessly in looking for a vaccine that would control the infections. On the 21st day of October 2009, the government introduced swine flu vaccine. This would reduce the number of people that would be affected by the disease even after contact with the virus. Implications of Swine Flu to Human Health Swine flu is an infection that affects the health of a human being in various ways. The infection increases the temperatures of a human being drastically. Some people were recorded to have a temperature of up to39C. In addition to this, a person registers the following problems. The person that is affected experiences widespread aches in joints and muscles (Hodgekiss, 2012:1). This could make movement a hard task since the pain is most of the time immense. A person experiences regular coughing, with a blocked and running nose. It is also characterised with a sore throat, vomiting and some people experienced watery diarrhoea. With such conditions, it is not easy for a person to travel or move from one place to another. The conditions are at times colossal and render a person immobile due to the painful joints and aching muscles. The Role of World Health Organisation In the year 2009, the world health organisation termed swine flu as a pandemic that was affecting the whole world. Therefore, all the people across all nations should be vigilant on the spreading pandemic. This led to collected efforts from different parts of the world to ensure the pandemic was under control. In 2010, the pandemic was considered an infection with vengeance in the United Kingdom (Quirk, 2011:15). This was after the initial cases had been reported. The increase in the infections was a concern of the United Kingdom as the pandemic was likely to affect a large part of the population. According to world health organisation statistics, a large number of Britons were affected by swine flu. According to reliable sources, it is considered that close to 9 million Britons were at risk of contacting the infections. In relating to the population of Britons, this was estimated to be a sixth of the whole population (Hodgekiss, 2012:1). This was a scourge that was threatening the population of Britons. If prompt actions would not be taken, then the infections would still affect most of the population. Further statistics show that the number of people that were affected in 2010 was twice as much as the number of people that were affected in the previous year 2009 (Quirk, 2011:16). This shows that the prevalence of the pandemic in the United Kingdom region had doubled within a year. Around the end of the year 2010, it was recorded that more than 200 people were in hospital beds due to swine flu infections (Hodgekiss, 2012:1). These 200 cases were considered critical since most of these patients were struggling for their lives. The infection had affected their health and they were in adverse conditions. Ethical and Human Issues The pandemic was affecting the medical practitioners in the United Kingdom as they had to give patients with infections specialised treatment. Previously, the number of patient that was dependent on life supporting machines was low. This has been a prevalent situation in most parts of the United Kingdom where the number of people that are supported by machines have been at a low level for a period of time. However, with the attack of the swine flu pandemic, the number of people that depended on life saving machines had increased. According to statistics, it is recorded that the number of people that depended on life saving machines tripled. The people that were affected by the swine flu pandemic were alive because they had specialised machines that kept them alive. Most of these machines were highly-specialised to assist in heart and lung functions. Most of the affected people in the United Kingdom needed specialised heart and lung machines die to the effects of the disease. The swine flu pandemic is known to attack the respiratory system and the lungs. These are vital human organs that have vital functions (Corcran, 2007). Therefore, if the organs are affected the life of the affected person is threatened. Apparently, most deaths that occur after attack from swine flu were caused by viral pneumonia. This is a disease that affects an infected person after the lungs and respiratory systems are weak and vulnerable. Key Policy of Government Documentation The concerned governments were interested in saving the plight of the affected people. The governments were also concerned with the situation as they wanted to control and manage the spread of the pandemic. This called for planned operation on the several activities that would be enhanced to control the infection rates. This led to a number of nations contacting other health organisation to conduct research on the pandemic and how the government would implement protection of the masses. Since it was a world pandemic, most nations were interlinked into finding a lasting solution to the pandemic. Health Protection and Promotion Strategies Government concerns were directed to the new generation as it was more vulnerable. According to researchers involved in the study of swine flu pandemic, it was discovered that the older generation was at a lower risk (Stephenson, 2009:10). This was in comparison to the new generation which was at a higher risk of contacting the pandemic. This was due to the immune system that was developed in the old generation. The old generation had developed an immune system that would repel any infections of swine flu. However, the new generation was at risk since their immune system was not developed to the latter. In the early days of May 2009, epidemiologists in the United Kingdom considered that swine flu pandemic was spreading fast and needed urgent solution (Hodgekiss, 2012:1). It was discovered that each infected person was likely to pass the disease to 1.5 persons. Therefore, in every two people infected people, three other people were at risk of contacting the infection in the meanest time. This led to decisions of controlling and managing the pandemic. In relation to this, there was only necessary and essential travel to Mexico. With such a directive, there were few British tourists that travelled to Mexico. Similarly, the British tourists that were already in Mexico were given the freewill to remain in the country to avoid contracting the infections. This slashed travels to and from Mexico to low numbers as they would trigger more infections. Testing and Advisory Services by Government, Medicals and Researchers There were preparations for advisory services in controlling the spread of the disease in work places, schools and other social places where people were in large numbers. Swine flu was known to spread at a faster rate in crowded places. Therefore, providing advisory services in such places would limit its spreading. In some instance, students and workers were not allowed to attend such places. This was mostly done in places where there were confirmed cases. The government made it clear that there would be testing in areas that are highly suspected. Testing would make it easy to isolate infected people and cordon them from other uninfected people. In pushing the directives further, the government advised people on the following (ScholarlyEditions, 2012:13). First, people should avoid touching their nose, eyes and mouth before washing their hands. Secondly, people were to dispose tissue and other dirty materials carefully and promptly. Thirdly, there was a need to maintain basic hygiene in all places. Fourthly, people were advised to cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Lastly, the population was advised to ensure children were observant to these directives. Other directives were also slotted to ensure the infections were controlled. Analysing the Media, Reflection, What have been Learned? The media was influential in spreading the information about the pandemic that had been noted in the world. It is due to the media that many people were now aware that there was a pandemic that was proving to be a killer disease (Naidoo and Wills, 2010:21). The media was informative in ensuring people were aware of the infections and it was perfect in ensuring the news was spreading across the globe (Gallagher, 2013:1). In most instances, the governments, especially the United Kingdom government relied on the media to pass the information to the people that needed it most. Though some communications involved direct communication to the people that were concerned, the media also helped relay information to the latter. This is due to the number of people that are connected to media and their affiliations. In such a scenario, the media uses all avenues of passing information. This was done in both written and pictorial languages. Verbal and oral languages were also used in spreading information that is linked to swine flu. Role of Media in Shaping Agendas In deeper refection on the whole scenario, the media is a vital factor in spreading information from the source to the recipients. Were it not for media and media affiliations, the government would have not achieved its goals of ensuring the pandemic was controlled and managed at minimum levels. In many instances, the government and other organisations do not have the electronic adaptation of reaching out to a large number of people. Therefore, the media was instrumental in ensuring people across the region were informed. The media uses electronic transmission to spread information across the globe. Since many people have access to the internet, it is easy to access such information in the least time (Costello and Haggart, 2003:17). Many people across the globe noticed that swine flu was a pandemic through the media bulletins (Siegel, 2009:11). Therefore, the media should be embraced for providing a vital link between the government, researching institutions and the people that need the information. In some instances, the media was reliable in scrutinising information and computing statistical evaluation. This highlighted the pandemic further as they gathered primary information in reflection to the pandemic. According to BBC, researchers attached to imperial college London stated that for every 10, 000 people that were affected with the pandemic, it was estimated that two people succumbed to death after the infections (Gallagher, 2013:1). This shows that out of every 10,000 of people that were diagnosed with the infection, at least two people would die after the infection. The first killer disease is the viral pneumonia. This was recorded after many of the death occurred due to the stated diseases. The second killer disease after attack by swine flu is bacterial pneumonia. This was discovered in a large number of people that had died due to infection by swine flu. However, the number of people that died after infection of swine flu due to viral pneumonia was still higher (Tasian, 2011:12). In continued research on the statistics of death occurring from infections of swine flu, it was considered that the third killer was underlying medical conditions. Most of the people that are affected have other health conditions that are worsened by the infections of swine flu. For example, people that already had heart conditions and other chronic diseases would easily succumb to death. Chronic lung diseases were also considered to be a causative factor in death after the infections of swine flu. In addition to this, the records show that people that have diabetes, asthma and were expectant were more vulnerable to succumb to death after infections of swine flu in the United Kingdom. References Corcran, N. (2007) Health promotion: strategies for health promotion, Sage, London. Costello, J. & Haggart, M. (Eds) (2003) Public health and society Basingstoke. London. Dumar, A.M. (2009) Swine flu 2009: what you need to know, Wildside Press LLC, London. Gallagher, J. (2013) Swine flu infected fifth of people. BBC news, New York, viewed 10 Apr 2013 . Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Science and Technology Committee (2009) Pandemic Influenza: Follow-up; 3rd Report of Session 2008-09; Report with Evidence, the Stationery Office, London. Hodgekiss, A. (2012) Dying swine flu victims pleas to go to hospital ignored three times by paramedics, Mailonline, New York, viewed 10 Apr 2013 . Naidoo, J. & Wills, J. (2010) Public health and health promotion: developing practice, Seale. London. Quirk, B. (2011) Re-imagining government: public leadership and management in challenging times, Palgrave Macmillan, London. ScholarlyEditions (2012) Issues in healthcare technology and design: 2011 edition, ScholarlyEditions, London. Siegel, M. (2009) Swine flu: the new pandemic, John Wiley & Sons, London. Stephenson, T. (2009) Swine flu - what parents need to know: UK edition, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London. Tasian, S.K. (2011) Swine flu, The Rosen Publishing Group, London. Read More