Bird Flu, Swine Flu, SARS: ever wondered how they work, what dangers they face, or what can be done to prevent them? This short, funny and stylish film by public information group TakePart outlines the worst-case scenario for a global outbreak of viral diseases. It’s important to remember that this has happened before, and isn’t just scaremongering – the 1918 flu pandemic (“Spanish flu”) killed over 50 million people. In the worst-affected communities, public services and private businesses suffered significantly as people were incapacitated or even killed by the disease.
The consequences of such an outbreak today could include transport shut downs, emergency services failing to respond to fires or accidents, everyday pleasures such as dining out or gathering in public being limited or banned and even a global recession, if businesses were seriously affected.
Fortunately, our responses to viral threats have improved in the century since Spanish flu: SARS, for example, was contained before it could seriously affect the world. But prevention is better than cure, so in case we can’t repeat that success, what can we do to limit the risk?
Wash your hands often, and get annual flu vaccines to ensure your immune system is able to counter the latest strains. If you do feel sick, stay away from others and see a doctor promptly.
Take a quick two minutes to watch the film at the link below, and go to TakePart.com/Contagion for more information.
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