Avian flu pandemic

“Most experts believe that it is not a question of whether there will be another severe influenza pandemic, but when.”The UK governments chief medical advisor.

Learning Objectives

• Bring together what we have learned about disease

• Use Social Media (Twitter!) to spread information and give scientific advice about how to respond to an epidemic

• Form a plan to beat the flu!

Nik Hughes

H1N1

The Scenario• You are a team of Public Health Advisers to the

Government

• You have been informed that there is a new flu epidemic on the rise in the UK

• You have been monitoring Social Networking sites to try and help spread scientific advice and ensure the public are doing the right things

• You are trying to prevent the spread of disease!

The Rules

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

Tweets

@NoteworthyNews – There’s talk that a new flu has broken out – wish I knew more about the bug, can anyone help? #clueless

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

New Tweet

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

Tweets

@GossipGirl – Heard about the flu going around – don’t wanna get sick, what can I do?? #scared

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

New Tweet

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

Tweets

@Angry_Patient – Went to the doc 4 a jab but they say it won’t work – total rubbish right?! #Vaccinations

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

New Tweet

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

Tweets

@Poorly_Girl – High temp and feeling rubbish today, think I might have the new flu! Don’t know what to do #contagious

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

New Tweet

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

Tweets

@FedUpTeen – Waiting to hear if school will close. Gutted if yes – don’t wanna miss the match! #hopeful

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

#BiologyRocks

New Tweet

1. When tweeting you can write only 15 words or less

2. #subject – I will change the subject, you need to respond by tweeting on your white board

3. @name – If you are responding to a specific tweet, you must start the post with @name

Task 2• You have done such a good job advising the

public over Twitter that the PM has promoted you!

• You are now a team of Senior Public Health Advisers

• You new assignment is to develop a plan, using all your knowledge of disease, to prevent the epidemic becoming a pandemic

The Scenario

• It is the year 2025

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified an outbreak of human avian flu in the South east Asian country of “Vietnesia”

• You are working for the government team in charge of dealing with an outbreak of avian flu in Britain.

• What will you do?