H1N1: The flu that we all have heard about.

Statistics show that there have been more seasonal flu shots this year than ever before. Officials say that the H1N1 virus has raised awareness of the flu, and its dangers. Flu shots are being given out in numerous places, there is a huge demand for this vaccine. A lot of the public seem to think the pandemic idea is ridiculous, and its never going to happen. There have already been 1,000 U.S. Deaths. Compared to the population of the country, this is a relatively small number. When scientists are trying to prepare for the outbreak, they look in the past for occurences that they could compare it to. They immediately think of the 1918 Flu pandemic. The 1918 Flu Pandemic hit the world hard, nobody was ready. The first wave came through and did relatively small damage. Then the second wave hit, causing traumatic damage. 20 to 40 million people died. It spread like a wildfire because of the war and all the immigration that was happening. Many countries, and even cities, closed their borders. A good book that is an example of this is called THE LAST TOWN ON EARTH. The story captures what effects that the flu had on the world, I would encourage reading the novel. If we look at the immigration rate today, it has raised dramatically. The H1N1 virus started in Mexico and has already begun to spread. Obama has now officially called the pandemic a National Emergency. Every day on the news we hear stories of schools closing because 1/3 of their student population is home sick. KUSD has yet to close a school due to illness. Recently the Kenosha Health Department has teamed up with Harborside Academy and has created ways to raise awareness of ways to prevent catching the Flu, such as short clips played before movies at Tinseltown, and postcards with tips being sent out to hospitals. This Pandemic is really coming, there's no denying it. The only question is how prepared are we going to be. Scientists compare the difference in travel from the 1918 Pandemic and today, and they found damming evidence. Airplanes, one of the most popular travel ways make it that much easier for the pandemic to spread. Traveling is so much more common now, that they believe that it will spread quicker. Then again on the other side, with all the technology we have, we can prepare for it. Nobody knows what will happen. Could this be worse than the 1918 Pandemic? Or will it just blow past unnoticed. Whatever happens, we should be aware and prepared. So search for ways to prevent spreading the illness. Cough in your sleeve, wash your hands a couple more times a day, and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer at your desk. Anything will help, so do everything you can do, to slow down this deadly illness.