Are we ready for the pandemic?

While the World Health Organization has described the swine flu pandemic as “moderately severe,” governments all over the world are not about to stay complacent and are in fact working closely with some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies for the development of a swine flu vaccine. Vaccines provide the best protection, if not immunity, for certain diseases but the work for a new strain like the A(H1N1) takes a lot of effort, with pharma companies certain to be stretched to meet demands for commercial production.

Scientists have predicted a second wave of the disease which could strike on the latter part of the year particularly at the onset of the cold season. One of the issues facing health experts is the possibility of the virus mutating into a more deadly form, which is why developers are racing for the production of a vaccine, the world’s “key hope” for fighting the disease.

There is also the question of priorities, or who should be the first ones to be given the shots when the vaccines become available. The World Health Organization has yet to issue guidelines on who should be the first to receive the vaccines, but the general consensus among many is that healthcare workers and children should take priority. Those with other health problems such as diabetes and asthma are also being monitored since it appears that they are more vulnerable, with the effects more severe. The same also seems true for pregnant women and those who are overweight. 

Interestingly, there is some evidence that people who were children during the onset of the 1957 flu pandemic may be carrying some immunity to A(H1N1) – similar to the virus strain that caused the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. The Spanish flu killed more than 50 million people worldwide and to this day, that period in history is described as the worst “medical holocaust” in history whose effect has been worse than the Black Death.

Another critical consideration would be the production of a vaccine that would only require one shot to give the necessary immunity or protection, given the reality that newly-developed vaccines may be a bit expensive. According to research-based GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) which is one of the developers, they will be using chemicals that stimulate immune systems, known as “adjuvants,” in order to reduce the amount of vaccine needed by an individual to create antibody protection.

GSK is known for innovativeness in the pharma industry and just recently was awarded the 2008 gold award for Medical Design Excellence for coming up with a device that makes life more convenient for allergic rhinitis sufferers – at a price 30 percent lower than other brands. The company has long reduced the price of some of its medicines to make them more affordable to the poor, so it really doesn’t come as a surprise to know that it has responded to the WHO’s call for “solidarity” by promising to donate some 50 million doses of the swine flu vaccine to the poor. (This is in stark contrast to another developer which has soundly rejected WHO’s appeal, saying developing countries or donors should cover the cost.)

GSK also happens to be the manufacturer of zanamivir (more popularly known by its brand name Relenza), an antiviral medicine used in the treatment of Influenza virus A and B by attacking the infected host cells and preventing the virus from spreading throughout other cells in the body. The medication has been used to add to the stockpiles of Tamiflu and in fact has been supplied to governments since 2003 for the purpose of pandemic stockpiling.

No doubt a number of businesses have been affected by the pandemic, among them the tourism sector especially in Mexico where business is reportedly down by more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year. The Department of Tourism however says it is confident in getting a bigger share of tourists from the US, particularly the seven million dive market despite the flu scare and the fact that among the countries in Asia, the Philippines has registered the highest number of confirmed cases (174 so far) but with no deaths, fortunately. 

Some of the world’s largest reinsurers also said they don’t expect major losses due to higher damage claims attributed to swine flu. According to Swiss Re, the company is “prepared to deal with the insurance, business and financial continuity risks that could arise from a pandemic.” The current pandemic is believed to be much milder than the 1918 Spanish flu and the succeeding ones in 1957 and 1968.

Of course, it goes without saying that preparedness will go a long way, which is why companies – particularly those in the airline industry, manufacturing, delivery and other service-oriented businesses have to come up with viable plans in case of disruptions due to employees getting sick. The direct and indirect impact of such disruptions on operations have to be weighed carefully especially with employees being forced to stay at home just in case.

Not surprisingly, Makati Mayor Jojo Binay has decided to give free flu vaccines to the 8,000 Makati government employees to protect them from the seasonal flu. While the shots are not indicated for the swine flu, the mayor believes this can help boost the defenses of employees against respiratory illnesses. This would also help health authorities pinpoint swine flu cases because they can rule out the common flu virus if employees that have been vaccinated manifest flu-like symptoms. Let’s hope other local government executives follow the example of Jojo Binay and be proactive as well in combating the spread of the swine flu pandemic.

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