Reaction Paper for the film showing \"Outbreak 1995\" PDF

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A reaction paper for the film showing of the movie entitled "Outbreak 1995". They didnt know that virus could resurface after decades....

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Outbreak Reaction Paper Cedar Creek, a town in California, USA was hit by a viral epidemic causing the sickness and death of many people living there. It began in Cedar Creek after a smuggled host animal arrived in the U.S. A white capuchin monkey. The person who brought the animal in the town got infected and died after having contact with the animal’s body fluid. The viral causative agent was known to be the Motaba, a fictional virus which causes a deadly fever. It was first found in 1967 in an African Jungle and resurfaced after twenty-eight years in Zaire. Motaba, is a viral hemorrhagic fever virus that affects many organ systems of the body, damages the overall cardiovascular system, and reduces the body’s ability to function normally. Viral hemorrhagic fever viruses naturally exist in animals or insects which are referred to as host populations. It is zoonotic, thus it can be spread from animal host to humans and it can further infect human population through person-to-person contact. The Motaba virus mutated to another strain adapting to the environment and the host, later turned to be airborne. Thus, healthcare personnels and the military used personal protective equipment to protect them from the highly aerosolized virus. Healthcare providers such as doctors and nurses wore Level 4 PPE while taking care of the infected townsfolk admitted to the hospital and quarantine facility. Level 4 PPE includes the following: impermeable garment such as single-use impermeable cover all; respiratory protection such as Powered air purifying respirator (PAPR), 2 or 3 layers of disposable examination gloves, and disposable boot covers. The outbreak began when a host animal was brought by Jimbo who is an employee at the Bio-Test animal holding facility. The host animal was taken to Cedar Creek, California to be sold in black market. Unfortunately, Jimbo got infected with the virus through facial contact with the monkey’s saliva while travelling to their destination. In Cedar Creek, the pet store owner to whom Jimbo was supposed to sell the monkey also got infected after being scratched by the host animal. He was taken to the hospital and blood samples were taken to run some labs.However, the laboratory technician accidentally broke a vial containing the blood sample of the pet owner and got infected. He managed to go to a movie theatre before he got symptomatic and died. Considering the number of people he got contact with in the movie theatre, he gave the virus an opportunity to spread and infect the townsfolk, thus the epidemic. In order to control it, a state of martial law was declared in the town with the U.S. army was posed to quarantine the area to contain the virus. The Centers for Disease Controls were also present together with the military doctors to find answers and solutions to the outbreak. The

U.S. army tested the people who were having flu-like signs and symptoms and those who tested positive with mild to moderate severity were moved to a quarantine facility and isolated from their family members who were not exhibiting any signs and symptoms of infection. Isolating the infected individuals from non-infected people puts a stop to the spreading of the virus. Other than using personal protective equipment, decontamination was also observed by the healthcare providers and research personnels. Cleaning of the responders and their equipment limits the spread of contaminants (viral infectious agents) from the hot zone. Outbreaks of infectious agents caused by natural occurrence or by bioterrorism can be controlled and death of thousands or millions can be prevented when the call of emergency is heeded right away, with proper information dissemination, and utilizing the solution or the cure as a result of thorough research and investigation. When a threat to life by infections and other means is possible to occur, the national government must pay attention in locating, tracing the affected or infected, and finding solutions in the aim to eradicate or contain it. Moreover, information properly disseminated is one way to gain the cooperation of the people for being well-informed influences the decisions to be taken, thus helping in addressing the problem. Lastly, the government should utilize what has been studied and produced by research in order to cure such biological hazards and not deprive the people from acquiring it. Biological, chemical, or radiological hazards can be managed and the spread can be prevented with collective effort from the government and the people....