H1N1 has spread and entered the stage of epidemic after an outbreak in Mexico. After the infections started to occur last April, mainly in North America, about 180,000 people in the world were infected with H1N1. Korea was elevated to the crisis stage of national epidemic last July 21. Several experts claimed that mass media exaggerated fears toward H1N1, but people couldn’t easily ignore the H1N1.
Infections in China, which has the highest population in the world, were about 3,000. It was not a high rate considering its population. However, because China experienced serious damage from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Avian Influenza once, the Chinese government had made an effort to prevent the spread of H1N1. Meanwhile, many countries competed with others for development of vaccines and conducted clinical trials. Then, people in China were first to be inoculated.
The United Kingdom (U.K.) established a hotline to allow people to check their symptoms through the phone and the Internet without visiting a medical institute. The U.K. also simplified the process to be supplied with treatment without seeing doctors. However, as the vaccine was prescribed without regulation by doctors, the possibilities that the H1N1 had tolerance to treatment were becoming higher. However, the U.K. planned to keep prescribing Tamiflu despite the concerns about tolerance.
Many schools in regions of Korea closed the doors and carried out a campaign of “washing hands.” However, the clear source of the disease was not identified. Even though the treatment was effective for the less than serious patients, Tamiflu was ineffective for serious patients. Therefore, each country is trying to reduce the damage from H1N1.