GEP - Current Events Email - May 1, 2009

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Dear Educator:

Each month World Savvy will post current events resources for one topic, with links for articles at varying reading levels, a list of relevant standards, and discussion questions and curriculum that can be used to teach about the issues covered by that news story. For more in-depth current events resources, please preview and subscribe to our World Savvy Monitor, www.monitor.worldsavvy.org.

Global Concern about Potential Swine Flu Pandemic

On April 26, 2009, US Homeland Security officials declared a public health emergency following 20 confirmed cases of the swine flu in the United States. Some public health officials have expressed concern that the swine flu may be emerging as a global pandemic. An outbreak of the disease and dozens of deaths in Mexico City have already led to travel bans and advisories internationally and quarantine measures in Mexico, and it is difficult for flu experts to predict the severity of this new strain of swine flu due to a lack of information about Mexico's outbreak. On April 27, the European Union's health commissioner recommended that Europeans avoid unnecessary travel to Mexico or the United States.

Advanced Article: Reuters
Intermediate Article: Al Jazeera
Beginning Article: BBC News

Background and Multimedia:
NPR: How to Prevent the World's Next Swine Flu
TIME: Battling the Swine Flu - Lessons from SARS
Analysis from BBC: Q&A
Center for Disease Control: Swine Flu- A Description (Podcast)

Discussion Questions:

1. What is Swine Flu? Where have the recent cases of the Swine Flu appeared?
2. How are governments attempting to prevent the spread of the swine flu?
3. What is the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in preventing the spread of the disease?
4. What is a pandemic? Why does swine flu have pandemic potential?
5. Most of the cases outside of Mexico have been mild cases. Why do you think the WHO and many governments are taking such strong precautions?
6. Do you think some of the precautions are excessive, or should governments and the WHO be doing even more?
7. Imagine you are the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). What changes would you propose to avoid another swine flu?

Curriculum:

1. PBS “Secrets of the Dead”: Identifying Viruses
2. Foreign Policy Association: Pandemics and Security PBS
3. PBS “The West”: Infectious Disease
4. National Institute of Health: Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases

California Standards:

World History: 10.11 – Modern World Economy and Technology Revolution

U.S. History: 11.8 – Domestic Issues post-WWII

Science Biology – disease

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