by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: May 05, 2009   Last Updated: June 30, 2011

A pandemic is a worldwide disease outbreak; an epidemic is an abnormal disease outbreak and is regional. A pandemic isn't classified a pandemic unless there's global involvement with a huge number of cases with some deaths. That makes the present H1N1 virus status a possible pandemic. If all goes well and the slow down in deaths continue, the history of the Swine flu virus will be labeled an epidemic instead of a pandemic. However, as had been seen in one or two previous pandemics, the initial involvement was mild but the virus rebounded with an unexpected force the next season. Thus CDC (Center for Disease Control) will wait until the 2009-2010 flu season before they begin to write the final chapter on the assessment of the now occurring flu dilemma.

In all, the 20th century has had three influenza pandemics and several smaller epidemics or false alarms that terminated in lesser than pandemic status. Those alive remembering the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic will have to be at over ninety years of age. It would be interesting to hear of their recollections of that catastrophic time! Quite a few more will be able to give their views, if asked, of the 1957 Asian flu and the 1968 Hong Kong flu. What I personally remember from the 1957 Asian flu was its lingering effects. For months afterward I continued to have muscle aches and pains, especially in my shoulders. I have no memories of the Hong Kong flu other than hearing of it. Whether I or my family had it, or was vaccinated, I do not now know.

1918 (H1N1)

What the Spanish flu epidemic has in common with the current flu circulating globally is its strain. It is the same. What is precisely different we will have to wait until this current happening is over and has been properly evaluated. Then, the records of previous seasonal flu interactions weren't available and the technology and the informational technology as is common today, was not available. Were that so then scientists would be able to give clearer pictures of that pandemic.

What they do have, however, are assumptions of probabilities. Probably, they say, the reason for so many deaths was a lack of prevailing antibodies to that particular strain of A virus. As compared to today's HIN1 infections that are creating copious amounts of headlines, speculations and comment, that's nothing. Their speculations about what happened then is applying today's knowledge to what was not known then is not done idly. It is brought about by hindsight. Enough study has been

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