On Oct. 24, President Barack Obama declared the H1N1 virus a national emergency. With schools across the nation closing and the search for available vaccines becoming more desperate, many Americans are beginning to brace themselves for the second coming of the bubonic plague. But before students break out the surgical masks, they should understand what Obama's declaration truly means.
"The state of emergency permits the suspension or invocation of certain governmental functions to allow the expeditious handling of an emergency," according to Nick Reilly of "Newsweek."
What this means is that the president's emergency powers are increased and governmental protections are dropped so that people can receive care more efficiently. During a national emergency, martial law is potentially permissible in addition to the suspension of habeas corpus.
"The potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources in some localities," Obama stated in his formal declaration. By using these emergency powers, more safety measures can be taken to decrease the risk of the virus. For example, hospitals can expand care sites beyond the hospital premise to areas such as parking lots and schools without federal interference and vaccinations can be distributed where they otherwise may not be allowed under normal circumstances.
In addition, depending on the hospital, some may be permitted to change patient check-in procedures so that sick patients have to do less paperwork and can have quicker access to a doctor. These factors, which may seem insignificant, can actually have the potential to get patients the care they need not only in a faster way, but in a way that can prevent them from getting infected in the long run.
With more than 20,000 reported cases of swine flu, it is easy to become frenzied as more cases are revealed. But instead of panicking, students can take preventative measures by getting the vaccine if it's available, but also taking normal everyday precautions as they would doing flu season. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises taking action such as washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth and steering clear of sick individuals.
The H1N1 virus is definitely a health risk and though it should by no means be downplayed, succumbing to a state of unnecessary hysteria will not help. While we wait for vaccines to become more available, students can take responsibility for their personal health by taking precautions, making good choices and remaining level-headed.
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