Public Health Preparedness: H1N1 Outbreak Us 2009-2010 Medicine Essay (Essay Sample)

Public Health Preparedness: H1N1 Outbreak Us 2009-2010
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Public Health Preparedness: H1N1 Outbreak US 2009-2010
Threats to public health are inevitable, and saving lives requires the need for public health systems to be prepared. In the US, the center for disease control (CDC) supports public health across the country through the support of public health preparedness for hazards, including natural disasters, biological, radiological, nuclear, and chemical disasters. The CDC coordinates public health emergencies such as infectious diseases, natural disasters, and bioterrorism at the local, national, and international levels. Public health preparedness helps in improving the health systems in the country to anticipate and prepare for any emergencies (Caves, 2008). For instance, the handling of the H1N1 outbreak in the US in 2009 is an example of how the CDC uses its goals to address emergencies. 
H1N1 Outbreak in the US
The H1N1 Pandemic was first detected in the US in 2009 and was determined to be as a result of the H1N1 virus. The virus, also referred to as the swine flu, was a respiratory disease, and it spread through contact with infected persons or objects used by infected persons. The H1N1 virus constantly mutates, and the 2009 outbreak virus was not similar to the previous outbreak of the virus in 1976 (Sagy, 2018). Thus, older people were immune to the virus due to earlier exposure compared to the younger populations. The virus quickly spread through the United States, affecting young children and younger people under the age of 60 years. The total reported the number of infected people in the US was estimated to be 22 million, and up to 4000 estimated deaths.