Learn more about the effects of pandemics
Caribbean L 22 ife, December 4-10, 2020
Much of the globe was
introduced to an
assortment of new
terms throughout
2020. Phrases like “social distancing”
or “flatten the curve”
were commonly used, but these
were all preceded by the utterance
of the word “pandemic.”
What is a pandemic?
The World Health Organization
defines a pandemic as a
“worldwide spread of a new disease.”
The word pandemic comes
from the Greek words “pan”
(meaning “all”) and “demos”
(“people”). When a new disease
emerges, most people lack the
natural immunity to fight off illness,
so the disease can spread
rapidly, eventually around the
world. A pandemic differs from
an epidemic in that an epidemic
is the spread of disease in a community
or region over a specific
amount of time. Epidemics often
grow into pandemics.
Facts and figures
about pandemics
According to HealthCareers.
com, the most lethal pandemics
in history were the Spanish
flu of 1918 and the Black
Death. The Spanish flu lasted
two years and claimed 50 million
lives, according to the United
States National Archives. In
the 14th century, a bubonic
plague pandemic referred to as
“The Black Death” caused the
deaths of between 75 and 200
million people over a period
of five years. In comparison,
as of October 2020, more than
1.1 million people have died of
the COVID-19 disease worldwide,
according to NBC News
and Johns Hopkins University
Coronavirus Resource Center.
Prior to COVID-19, the most
recent pandemics occurred
with the outbreak of the Hong
Kong flu in 1968-69, the H1N1
Swine flu of 2009-2010, and the
Ebola outbreak of 2014-2016.
The WHO says that most viral
pandemics have been caused by
influenza viruses.
Addressing pandemics
The National Center for Biotechnology
Information indicates
that globalization increases
the probability of a pandemic.
Urbanization, travel, trade,
and human-animal interaction
all lead to elevated pandemic
risk. However. thanks to the
science of epidemiology and
the development of new medicines
and therapies, professionals
have helped to reduce death
rates due to pandemics.
Health experts say one of the
most efficient measures to help
reduce the risk of pandemic
infection is the simplest — the
practice of social distancing.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention says social
distancing means keeping a
safe distance between oneself
and others who are not from
the same household. Many
diseases spread among people
who are in close contact (within
about six feet) for prolonged
periods.
Global pandemics are nothing
new, but the public still
needs to be vigilant and do
their part to help reduce the
spread of infectious diseases.
— Metro Creative Connection
Much of the globe was introduced to an assortment of new terms throughout 2020. Phrases
like “social distancing” or “fl atten the curve” were commonly used, but these were all
preceded by the word “pandemic.” Metro Creative Connection
Health