PANDEMIC VS. EPIDEMIC
An epidemic is a disease that has more infections than normal, while a pandemic is a worldwide epidemic of a disease, according to the World Health Organization.
FACE MASKS IN SHORT SUPPLY
Manufacturers of face masks in Europe and the U.S. reported a surge in demand for face masks and are ramping up production to meet demand.
IS THERE ENOUGH MEDICINE?
Some pharmacies in the U.S. and other countries have run out of flu medicine after people stockpiled medicine because of swine flu, the New York Times reported.
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL STATES:
During a flu pandemic people should wear face masks if they are sick with the flu, live with somebody that has the flu, or need to be in a crowded place.
SPANISH FLU
In 1918 the "Spanish Flu" infected 30 percent of the U.S. population and killed an estimated 375,000 Americans. Worldwide, 40 to 50 million people were killed by the virus. RECENT PANDEMICS:
- Spanish flu in 1918 killed up to 100 million people
- Asian flu in 1957 killed up to 4 million people
- Hong Kong flu in 1968 killed up to 1 million people
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL STATES:
If the Swine Flu became a pandemic like the Spanish Flu of 1918, 1.9 million Americans could die.
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| Pandemic Flu Supplies are in Short Supply |
 As the swine flu spreads rapidly throughout the world, demand for medicine, face masks, hand sanitizers and other disinfectants has skyrocketed. In Mexico City, for example, the government quickly ran out of face masks after handing them out to one of every five residents.
The demand for these products has been so great that many suppliers have struggled to keep up, causing delays in shipping the equipment necessary to help fight a pandemic. If the swine flu was a sudden pandemic that swept across the country and world—and it still may—these delays would become significant obstacles to containing the disease, cause countless business closures and even be the cause of unnecessary death.
It is vital we use this lesson to be prepared for any emergency that arises. If more organizations and individuals have personal protective gear and emergency planning procedures in place before an emergency like a pandemic occurs, we can avoid turning a emergency into a disaster. Simple procedures such as having an emergency action plan can save organizations thousands of dollars in costs due to a disruption in business.
| Is a Pandemic an Epidemic? |
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 As World Health Organization (W.H.O) officials annouced they will likely declare the swine flu a pandemic, some people have wondered what exatly a pandemic is and how severe could it be.
Health officials now believe that swine flu virus is not as lethal as originally thought, but still could cause a lot of people to be sick at home for a period of time. While the swine flu is an epidemic, which is a disease that occurs when there are more infections than normal, a pandemic would mean the virus has become a worldwide epidemic.
The question every organization should be facing is what would happen if 40 percent of their workforce was sick at home? What employees vital to the success of a company have to work from home. What if children are sick at home for more than a week?
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