Pandemics Flashcards
Epidemic
An unexpected increase in the number of disease cases in a specific geographical area
- ex. ebola
Pandemic
An epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people
- the worldwide spread of a new disease (WHO definition)
- ex. HIV/AIDS, covid
Endemic
A disease outbreak that is consistently present but limited to a particular region
- Disease is relatively stable and predictable
- Disease is manageable
- Disease rates are reduced to an ‘acceptable’ level
- e.g., Malaria in southern Africa
What are rates of COVID hospitalizations and deaths in 2023?
- Higher than they were at the peak of the pandemic
- Not seasonal, there are summer outbreaks
- Making the disease very unpredictable
Is life expectancy increasing or decreasing in Canada?
Decreasing for 3rd year in a row
- ever since COVID pandemic
International Health Regulations
- an international legal instrument
that is binding on 196 countries
across the globe, including all the
Member States of WHO - They aim to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and threaten people
worldwide
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
- must notify WHO under the IHR for all events that “may constitute a public health emergency of international concern”
- declaration made by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, on advice from the IHR Emergency Committee, regarding “an extraordinary event which is determined, as provided in these regulations:
1. to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease
2. to potentially require a coordinated international response
what happens if there is a PHEIC
- all the 196 countries involved in IHR to act in a particular way
- the director will issue temporary recommendations with the procedure set out in Article 49
- this may include health measures to be implemented such as cargo, containers, and goods to reduce the spread of disease and avoid unnecessary international traffic
- people travelling
- ONLY temporary
- ONLY recommendations
Examples of what WHO can recommend if there is a PHEIC
- require medical examinations
- require proof of vaccine
- refuse entry of affected persons
- implement quarantine
When issuing, modifying or terminating temporary or standing recommendations in regards to a PHEIC, what should the Director General consider
- views of the state party directly concerned
- advice from the emergency committee
- scientific evidence and info
- risk assessment of health measures and protection
- relevant international standards and instruments
- consider other intergovernmental organizations
How often did the committee meet regarding the COVID-19 pandemic to see if it constitutes a PHEIC?
Every 3 months
When was the PHEIC created?
International Health Regulations were revised in 2005 after SARS
- due to that global community advised for better instruments and PHEIC was created
5 worlds deadliest pandemics
- Black death (bubonic plague); 1346–1353; 75-200 million deaths
- ‘Spanish’ flu (H1N1 influenza); 1918-1929; 17-100 million deaths
- Plague of Justinian (bubonic plague); 541–549; 15-100 million deaths
- HIV/AIDS; 1981-present; ~40 million deaths
- SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19; 2019-present; 7-34 million deaths
Why did China reject the WHO from further investigating the origins of the COVID pandemic?
- they don’t have legal right to do it without permission
- China doesn’t want to be viewed in a negative light
- do not want countries to stop economic trade, close borders etc
What was a challenge that countries faced when COVID-19 first happened?
- they didn’t listen to WHO recommendations and instead made individual choices for their countries
ex. said not to close borders to foreigners from china but instead all countries created travel bans
