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Shayla Cunico
Dr. Douglas Binder
Professor Hendrickson
ENG 110/ASRC 111
September 28, 2015

The 4 Ways to Take Down the Flu

Theres an international problem, and there has to be some type
of system to fix an international health crisis! There is multiple ways to
attack the beast that is influenza. Influenza is a highly contagious viral
infection that occurs in the respiratory passage. Influenza causes
severe aching, cough, congestion, fatigue, and a high fever. It can be
prevented by a vaccination, but also be self-treated by over the
counter Antihistamines, pain reliever, and anti-inflammatory
medication. Screenings, and trips to the doctor are rarely needed.
In the public health system, there are four easy ways to attack
an international threat such as influenza; education, environment,
engineering, and enforcement. You need to find an affective balance of
all 4 to prevent and concur the problem at hand. Education being a
way to prevent and spread the word about risks and symptoms of
influenza, environment being a way to also prevent influenza by
changing the way people view the disease, engineering is a way to find
a treatment and further prevent the spread of the disease, and
enforcement is the way to make sure all of the previous prevention and

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treatment (education, environment, and engineering) is properly acted
upon.

Education
In order for the public to know how to prevent and prepare for a
public health crisis, they must be educated about it first. In 1918, the
greatest influenza pandemic in history struck the world. The epidemic
took a world tour, first starting in the United States, taking a pit stop in
Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America, only to return to the US for a
final encore. Many people wonder how the flu spread so rapidly and
widely across the world.
In the year of 1918 the Public Health Service started to require
state health departments to provide reports about diseases in their
communities. The problem was that, at the time influenza was not a
reportable disease. Due to the fact that the flu was not immediately a
disease that could be reported, the public had little education on how
to prevent and protect themselves.
Public health officials sought to stem the rising panic by
censoring newspapers and issuing simple directives. Posters and
cartoons were also printed, warning people of the dangers of
influenza. (Influenza Strikes) The Public Health officials started to
educate the public on the pandemic that was taking a toll on the world.

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They had newspapers print cartoons, and posters to help to educate
the public. There was a small flaw in the form

of

education they decided to use.

English speakers could easily
understand the cartoons, except
foreign immigrants and people
that could not understand English
had a difficult time
understanding the point the
posters and cartoons were trying to
get across. Which meant that the

Clifford T. Berryman. [Credit: Office of the Public

Health Service Historian]

flu continued to spread and people continued to get infected.

The attempt to take action through education was somewhat
successful. Although foreigners had trouble understanding, the
majority could understand which help to get the word out to other
people and further help the prevention of influenza.

Environment
Once you educate the public about the hazards of a public health
issue, you have to change the environment and perception of the
crisis. When influenza stopped in the United States and made itself
comfortable, people were scared. People had no idea how to battle the
flu, and had no knowledge on how dangerous it really was. Now

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influenza can be prevented and even cured. The perception of the flu
has changed. People are no longer scared of it, and people often do not
get vaccinated, but the way people view the victims of the flu has
definitely changed.
The environment has changed. Flu victims would usually have
constant contact with their family and even other people. Due to how
contagious the flu is people were catching it left and right. Now a day,
it is not acceptable and is usually frowned upon to go out in public with
the flu. The public perception has changed, which has helped with the
rapid decline in the spread of the flu. Also, most people view getting
vaccinated, as a mandatory procedure. The view on infected victims
used to be viewed as a major threat, but people also had no way to
escape the disease once they knew they had come in contact with it.
They continued to share public drinking fountains and would continue
their daily lives, until they too got sick. The environment in how the flu
is viewed has made a polar shift in perception. Which is part of the
reason the flu is no longer as big of a health crisis.

Engineering
So we had education that helps to prevent the disease, and
environmental changes which also help with prevention, so what about
treatment? That is where engineering comes into play. The invention
and engineering advances in medicine have made the world what it is

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today. Not only is engineering involved in treatment, it is also involved
in prevention. When a vaccine was invented for the flu the only
prevention mechanisms they had were facemasks and the education
about how to steer clear of the viral disease. During the fall of 1918,
researchers from the Public Health Service, including the
renowned Joseph Goldberger, began looking for a vaccine. They were
joined by researchers in many other countries. These researchers
developed a range of vaccines,
which were then tested in
communities all over the world.
None of these vaccines proved
effective. ("Fighting Influenza")
Doctors and researchers began the
search for a vaccine that would prove to be effective in all cases. Due
to the lack of knowledge about the disease all tested remedies proved
to have very little to affect in the treatment and cure of influenza.
Most public officials and politicians wanted to further prevent
the spread of influenza with bans on public gatherings, spitting, and
continue quarantines. The engineering advances continued when
people in the community started to engineer home remedies. They
started to look at a variety of remedies, and products to help with the
treatment of the flu. They found that most of which could be purchased
from a local drug store. The community began using Vicks Vapor-rub,

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atropine tablets, which helped to accomplish close to nothing. In the
21st century we now have great advances in engineering! The flu can
now be self-diagnosed and self-treated. The advances in engineering
have allowed us not only to prevent and treat the flu, but also to
survive it!

Enforcement
Last but definitely not least, we have enforcement. Of course the
previous forms of prevention and treatment
make a huge difference, but they would not make
any change if they were not enforced! In the
early 1900s they just advised people and
educated them on how to prevent contracting the
flu, but in the 21st century vaccinations and
prevention are mandated.

Credit: North
Dakota Historical
Society

In the 1900s enforcement was considered,

bans on public gatherings, no spitting, most public
buildings were forced to be closed including
churches, schools, and court houses. These precautions were enforced
help to put a halt to influenza, and so they did!
Now, in the 21 century most school-age children and even young
adults entering college have to send some sort of official
documentation stating there vaccinations and shot records. This is

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modern enforcement. This type of enforcement has helped to further
prevent the spread of influenza and diseases like it. There are other
enforcement examples such as, if you travel outside of the country you
have to get a physical depending on your destination or where youre
coming back from. Or to go into special parts of hospitals with very
sick patients, or new born babies you cannot be sick or even have any
signs of an oncoming cold. Even though the advances in enforcement
are different than in 1918, the main goal is still the same.
Throughout history public health officials have used education,
environment, engineering, and enforcement to make an impact on
peoples everyday lives. Influenza, and the history behind it is a great
example. Through providing people with the knowledge about public
health issue we can have prevention. By changing the environment by
which a disease is perceived we also have prevention. Coming up with
a cure, we have treatment, and enforcement just ties it all together.

Bibliography
"Influenza Strikes." : The Great Pandemic: The United States in 19181919 : . Web. 29 Sept. 2015.

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"Fighting Influenza." . : The Great Pandemic : : The United States in
1918-1919 : . Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
"H5N1 Avian Flu (H5N1 Bird Flu)." H5N1 (Avian Flu). Web. 15 Sept.
2015.
Ott, Miles, Shelly Shaw, Richard Danila, and Ruth Lynfield. "Lessons
Learned from the 19181919 Influenza Pandemic in Minneapolis and St.
Paul, Minnesota." Public Health Reports. Association of Schools of
Public Health. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.
"Clinical Infectious Diseases." Epidemiology of 2009 Pandemic
Influenza A (H1N1) in the United States. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.