In Choosing Who Survives Flu, Developing World Most Likely To Suffer

Published October 26, 2009 @ 12:09PM PT

Who gets the most help to fight Swine Flu in a pandemix? Or more to the point, who should you vaccinate first? Frontline health workers are obviously going to be a priority. And as the New York Times explains, when it comes to allocating ventilators to help people breath, in New York state, "The plan aims to direct ventilators to those with the best chances of survival in a severe 1918-like flu pandemic where tens of thousands develop life-threatening pneumonia."

With not enough resources, the Times wonders, who should get a chance at survival? It's morbid, but worth consideration. But the article finds no time to discuss how the rest of the world is fairing, or what we can do to help. We're too busy refusing vaccines that will save lives, endangering more of us, especially those who are already ill, those for who Swine Flu presents the greatest danger.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, warned earlier this year that "the developing world, where populations are most vulnerable, should prepare to see more than the present small number of severe cases."

Photo credit: Hmerinomx

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