What Is The Criterea For A Pandemic?

[nailit]

What exactly is the criterea for deciding whether a disease qualifies as a pandemic?
My local rag reports

//Worldwide there have now been more than 182,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation//

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/coronavirus-covid-staffordshire-stoke-cheshire-3957201

It further goes on to say

//There have been almost 80,000 recoveries and more than 7,000 deaths//

7000 deaths out of a worldwide population of 7 billion doesnt seem much in the great scheme of things while other diseases kill many more people.
Genuinely curious as to why this outbreak is causing so much panic.

[TheDevil]

Well the defenition of a pandemic is obvious..

"(of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world."

For something to become a pandemic, it must be declared by the world health organisation. WHO?

[douglas9401]

occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population

[nailit]

TD, I know the definition of the term pandemic. I asked what the criterea was?
Why has the coranavirus been declared a pandemic when influenza hasnt yet it kills so many more people?

[TheDevil]

"I asked what the criterea was?"

The criteria would be for a disease, to be prevalent, over a whole country or world.

[woofgang]

there isn't one/are none
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/14/what-is-a-pandemic-coronavirus-covid-19

[dannyk13]

https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/pandemic_flu.html

[douglas9401]

Criteria, plural of criterion so 'what are.....'.

Yes I know, but even in these troubled times we must try to keep standards up.

[nailit]

Thanks for links woof and danny, will read later, got to go out now.

//Yes I know, but even in these troubled times we must try to keep standards up//
To bloody right Doug!!

[Stephen_G]

It's not the lethal ability of the virus, but the way it is transmitted and where it travels across the globe.

[sp1814]

nailit

The difference between the flu and Corvid-19 is that the rate of infection for the latter is vastly higher than the flu.

The problem with Corvid-19 is that we know it’s replicating REALLY quickly.

Much faster than the flu.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/14/health/coronavirus-covid-19-flu-comparison-frieden-analysis/index.html

[TheDevil]

Also the issue is, COVID-19 is brand new and we know zero about it. Influenza is well known and researched and we are on top of it, really.

[Peter Pedant]

it is a word for chrissakes

and it isnt pan-dethic - where everyone dies

pan demic ( demos - people or group of people)
and the defn is either where 60 or 80% are infected ( no dont die)

or there are more than one centre ( epidemic in different parts)

Humans love labelling " 0 o it is an X"
OR
"it is not an X"

and a moments thought show that 'it' has not changed labelled or not labelled

or in other words - yo are all gonna DDDIIIIIEEEE!
that was an advanced joke - not many people on AB get them

[Peter Pedant]

// Why has the coranavirus been declared a pandemic when influenza hasnt yet it kills so many more people?//

because it is a pandemic not a pan-dethic ( a word I have just made up- I am rather proud of it - short to the point and thingey)

pandemic everyone or lots of people get it quickly and from the same source - pan is everyone
it is pity when you were in the jarn you didnt learn some Greek
Pas pasa pan - all

[Peter Pedant]

//The problem with Corvid-19 is that we know it’s replicating REALLY quickly. Much faster than the flu.//

questionable

the maff modeller of the week is Niall Ferguson and his model on which the govt rely is somewhere on the internet

so I will try to get the URL

the bottom line is that if the Italian model is followed - specifically that those admitted to Hospital ( cos they are bad see) over 20% needed intensive care

then that will saturate ( use up only not use up because there wont be any) intensive care beds by a factor of 10
for those into percentages that is 900% NOT 10%

[Peter Pedant]

blimey this is not bad but not what was prescribed

http://www.niallferguson.com/journalism

two or three Niall Fergusons all saying me me me

[jennyjoan]

Peter I'm only up outta bed but am laughing my leg at your

////or in other words - yo are all gonna DDDIIIIIEEEE!/// -

[youngmafbog]

"Influenza is well known and researched and we are on top of it, really."

Really? That'll be why so many die of it then.

You are aware influenza has many strains - just like convi-19 is one of coronavirus?

[youngmafbog]

"Genuinely curious as to why this outbreak is causing so much panic.
"

Whipped up hysteria by the MSM and misinformation by TwitFace.

Yes it is infectious - but most people get over it. Those likely to be vulnerable should keep out the way if possible whilst the rest get 'herd' immunity. But that doesnt suit the panickers and those tryng to score political points.

[ichkeria]

Worldwide spread of a “new” disease.

It doesn’t mean flu is ignored, just because it’s not called that.
In fact there have been flu pandemics of course, before the days of the WHO: eg Spanish flu.

[Ellipsis]

> Genuinely curious as to why this outbreak is causing so much panic.

Because a mathematical model showed that carrying on as we were until yesterday evening could have overwhelmed the NHS and resulted in 250,000 deaths in the UK.