Hit Movie Calls Attention to Pandemic Preparation

Public health officials hope the film will serve as a reminder to get a seasonal flu shot 

This fall, the feature film Contagion had audiences talking about the possibility of a global pandemic. With an all-star cast and directed by Academy Award-winning Stephen Soderbergh, the movie dealt with the effects of a rapidly spreading virus that caused world chaos and multiple fatalities. The film was #1 at the box office, playing to packed houses. (Woe unto the audience member who coughed or sneezed during the film!)

How does Contagion differ from other movies on the same topic? Notably, in this case, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) played an active role in assuring that the story was a reasonably realistic portrait of what could happen if a serious pandemic were to occur. Several scenes from the movie were actually filmed on location at the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Some staffers even conferred with the actors who played characters similar to their own positions at the Center, and the Center took advantage of the attention to create a consumer information pandemic-preparation webpage.

How realistic is the threat portrayed in the film? "In an increasingly globalized world, the scenario of a severe pandemic is entirely plausible," says Dr. Kamran Khan, an infectious disease physician and scientist at St. Michael's Hospital and associate professor at University of Toronto.

Dr. Khan developed an innovative online technology in response to Toronto's SARS crisis in 2003, and predicted how the H1N1 flu would spread about the world. He says he hopes that the Contagion film served to increase public awareness of the risks of pandemic—and that it will encourage the public to take prevention steps. He says, "When people talk about preparing for pandemics, they tend to focus on ways to respond to these outbreaks once they have already started. But it's important to recognize that there are things we can all do to reduce the risk of infectious disease threats emerging in the first place."

Public health officials are also hoping the film will raise awareness of the value of immunization in preventing this year's seasonal flu. Seniors are at high risk from complications of influenza. Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that older adults follow these steps:

Get your flu vaccine. A flu shot is the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. The 2011 - 2012 vaccine protects against the two most common projected strains of seasonal flu. Vaccination of high risk persons, including seniors and people with chronic health conditions, is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. Vaccination is also important for health care workers, and those who live with or care for high risk people, to keep from spreading the flu to high risk people.

Practice good hygiene to avoid flu germs. The vaccine prevents most but not all cases of flu, so it is still important to avoid infection. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth at all times. 

If you or a loved one gets the flu, don't spread it to others. People infected with flu may be able to infect others from one day before feeling symptoms to about 5-7 days after getting sick. If you become ill with influenza symptoms, stay home and avoid contact with other people except to seek medical care. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.

Be alert for signs of complications

Most people are able to recover at home from flu without medical care. However, seniors are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications such as bacterial infection and pneumonia. Seniors and caregivers should be alert to the emergency warning signs that signal the need for urgent medical care in adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting.

For More Information

Visit the FightFlu.ca website and the Public Health Agency of Canada flu shot information page for information about flu season 2011-12 and how to protect yourself and loved ones.

Photo: James Gathany, CDC