Topic: There is an outbreak of swine flu in Australia. As a health professional, you decide to create an emergency box at home with things that might help protect you and your family. Choose six objects to put in the box providing suitable evidence of why they would be effective. You might for example, choose one or more medications. The swine flu is a type of influenza that is normally spread from infected person to non-infected person. The major symptoms of swine flu are fever, dehydration, and upper respiratory symptoms. There are two main modes of transmission of swine flu: (1) one is through the airborne route which people breathe in infected droplets that swine patients have expelled through sneezing or coughing. (2) It is also spread by direct contact with the swine flu patient’s mucus (Webber 2009, p. 147-148). Unfortunately, there is an outbreak of swine flu in Australia. Therefore, I follow the main symptoms and transmission pathways to make an emergency box at home. Preventing spread of infectious disease is everyone’s duty. Preventive measures are implemented to reduce the risk of the swine flu infection and swine flu transmission at home. If one of family members suffers from swine flu, I would separate the infected member and his close contact from us. Thus, this essay will discuss what the pandemic is and which the six objects are included P2 (N95) mask, alcohol-based hand rub, chemical disinfectants, medical thermometer, vitamin D pills, and air purifier in the emergency box which would help to protect my family and me against the swine flu effectively. PART A: Objects chosen In 2009, the serious global outbreak of H1N1 Swine flu caused the pandemic infection. The pandemic is an outbreak of a disease spreading quickly among many people across a large area or worldwide. The pandemic diseases normally transmit efficiently among people. Therefore, the rate of morbidity and mortality rate are higher than the expectation normally (Ryan 2009, p. 6). Besides, the pandemic diseases not only disrupt social activities around the world but also affect economic activities.The higher hospitalization rate and the improvement of health care services for the pandemic diseases raise cost to economy for government(Nguyen-Van-Tama &Hampsonb 2003, p. 1766).The pandemics end when most of the population have been exposed to disease or the people have been developed a subclinical infection that rendered the immune system to the disease (Ryan 2009, p. 6). Thus, I would put the P2 (N95) mask, alcohol-based hand rub,chemical disinfectants, medical thermometer, vitamin D pills, and air purifier into the emergency box to protect my family under the outbreak of swine flu in Australia. Firstly, the P2 (N95) masks provide protection against swine flu.It not only keeps the wearer from pathogen through the airborne route but also protects the wearer from contacting with contamination of body fluids like nasal or oral secretion(Department of Health and Age ...

1. Topic: There is an outbreak of swine flu in Australia. As a
health professional, you decide to create an emergency box at
home with things that might help protect you and your family.
Choose six objects to put in the box providing suitable evidence
of why they would be effective. You might for example, choose
one or more medications.
The swine flu is a type of influenza that is normally spread from
infected person to non-infected person. The major symptoms of
swine flu are fever, dehydration, and upper respiratory
symptoms. There are two main modes of transmission of swine
flu: (1) one is through the airborne route which people breathe
in infected droplets that swine patients have expelled through
sneezing or coughing. (2) It is also spread by direct contact with
the swine flu patient’s mucus (Webber 2009, p. 147-148).
Unfortunately, there is an outbreak of swine flu in Australia.
Therefore, I follow the main symptoms and transmission
pathways to make an emergency box at home. Preventing spread
of infectious disease is everyone’s duty. Preventive measures
are implemented to reduce the risk of the swine flu infection
and swine flu transmission at home. If one of family members
suffers from swine flu, I would separate the infected member
and his close contact from us. Thus, this essay will discuss what
the pandemic is and which the six objects are included P2 (N95)
mask, alcohol-based hand rub, chemical disinfectants, medical
thermometer, vitamin D pills, and air purifier in the emergency
box which would help to protect my family and me against the
swine flu effectively.
PART A: Objects chosen
In 2009, the serious global outbreak of H1N1 Swine flu caused
the pandemic infection. The pandemic is an outbreak of a
disease spreading quickly among many people across a large
area or worldwide. The pandemic diseases normally transmit

2. efficiently among people. Therefore, the rate of morbidity and
mortality rate are higher than the expectation normally (Ryan
2009, p. 6). Besides, the pandemic diseases not only disrupt
social activities around the world but also affect economic
activities.The higher hospitalization rate and the improvement
of health care services for the pandemic diseases raise cost to
economy for government(Nguyen-Van-Tama &Hampsonb 2003,
p. 1766).The pandemics end when most of the population have
been exposed to disease or the people have been developed a
subclinical infection that rendered the immune system to the
disease (Ryan 2009, p. 6). Thus, I would put the P2 (N95) mask,
alcohol-based hand rub,chemical disinfectants, medical
thermometer, vitamin D pills, and air purifier into the
emergency box to protect my family under the outbreak of
swine flu in Australia.
Firstly, the P2 (N95) masks provide protection against swine
flu.It not only keeps the wearer from pathogen through the
airborne route but also protects the wearer from contacting with
contamination of body fluids like nasal or oral
secretion(Department of Health and Ageing 2006, p.15). It is
because the transmission of swine flu is via the airborne route
through patients’ coughing or sneezing or via the direct contact
with the patients’ mucus.Thus, the P2 masks protect my family
and me against the swine flu through community and social
contact (Webber 2009, p. 148).
Secondly, alcohol-based hand rub also improves the hand
hygiene of my family. It is because the alcohol-based products
can kill the pathogenic micro-organisms like the swine flu virus
from the hand before or after the physical contact. It not only
prevents the transference of micro-organisms through touching
with contaminated people hands or articles but also prevents
people with contaminated hands that transfer the micro-
organisms to other people and articles (Worsley et al. 1994, p.
6). My family reduces the potentially pathogenic organisms on

3. their hands by using alcohol-based hand rub.Besides, the
alcohol-based hand rub is more convenience and safer than hand
washing with soap and water. After the hand washing, my
family hands may be contaminated by using the towel to dry
their hands or touching the faucet handle(Kennamer2007, p.
73). Thus, the alcohol-based hand rub can clean the people
without using the water at home and also reduce the risk of
contaminant after hand washing.
Thirdly, chemical disinfectants like bleach can clean the
environment surfaces at home. It is because some of the swine
flu virus attached on the floor and frequently touched surfaces
like faucet handle or telephones. My family and I can live in the
non-influenza area after using bleach to clean the living
environment twice a day (Pratt 2009, p. 20). It is because the
disinfectants can destroy swine flu virus and arrest their growth.
Thus, chemical disinfectants help to sterilize the surfaces that
are contaminated by the oral and nasal secretion. My family
would be safe due to reduce the risk of swine flu
transmission(Soule, Larson & Preston 1995, p. 136-137).
Fourthly, I would like to put the medical thermometer into the
emergency box. Since the major symptom of swine flu is fever,
my family and I can measure the body temperature twice a day
or feel warm for the touch with medical thermometer. It helps to
observe whether my family member and I are diagnosed with
the swine flu or not (Chin 2000, p. 270). If one of the family
member is suspected with fever and other upper respiratory
symptoms, we isolate this family member at a well-ventilated
room and use the disinfectants to sterilize the environment
surface. Moreover, this family member is advised to drink extra
fluids so as to prevent dehydration and send him to hospital
when observing the fever symptom through the medical
thermometer (Webber 2009, p. 148).
Fifthly, the vitamin D pills help my family against swine flu.

4. According to Cannellet al. (2006) report that the people who
suffer from the vitamin D deficiency, have a higher rate of
respiratory diseases like the influenza. The function of vitamin
D not only maintains the blood level of calcium but also
enhances the immune response against the respiratory pathogen
like influenza virus and inhibits the pulmonary inflammation
response(Hughes & Norton 2009, p.20). Thus, my family who
supplement with400 IU per day of vitamin D can enhance their
immune system against the swine flu (Lininger et al. 1999,
p.344).
Finally, air purifier put into the emergency box. The
transmission of swine flu is through the air route when swine
flu patient’s sneezing or coughing. Accounting to United States
Environmental Protection Agency (2012) state that outdoor
environmentis less contaminated than indoor environment, the
pollutants like viruses and bacteria accumulate in the indoor
environment. Thus, the air purifier associates with natural
ventilation like opening the windows and door that enhance air
exchange rate and reduce the pollutants at home. Besides, the
air purifier can remove the viruses and bacteria. It can prevent
from airborne infection like swine flu (Canadian Society of
Respiratory Therapists 2004, p.27). The air purifier can reduce
the risk of swine flu transmission to my family.
PART B: difficulties encountered with use of object
The difficulties in using the P2 masks are the wearing of masks
and the changing the masks with my family. They may confuse
with the wearing position of their masks and what situation they
need to change their masks. According to Kennamer (2007, p.
82), the wearers place the P2 masks under the chin with the
nosepiece up and adjust the nosepiece that prevent the air from
leaking. Besides, when the masks become moist, another masks
need to be changed. Moreover, the masks should not be
reapplied after they have been removed (Department of Health

5. and Ageing 2006, p.15). Besides, how to wash the hand with
alcohol-based hand rub clearly may be the problem to encounter
with the use of this object. According to Motacki, O’Mara and
Kapoian (2011, p. 7) state that when the people use the alcohol-
based hand rub to wash their hand. They must ensure all
surfaces of hands and fingers that are covered with the alcohol-
based product and rub their hands until dry. The alcohol-based
hand rub is an effective way for my family against the infection
and transmission of swine flu.
Using bleach is the common and effective disinfectant against
swine flu virus but the suitable ratio of bleach and water is
essential to destroy the swine flu virus.The precautions of using
the bleach are also applied. According to Department of Health
and Ageing (2006) recommend that the influenza virus like
swine flu virus can be destroyed by 1 in 50 dilution of 5%
liquid bleach. Thus, my family and I can follow the ratio of
making dilution bleach to sterilize the environment surfaces at
home. The precautions of using bleach are as follow: It not only
uses in the well-ventilated areas but also do not mix with strong
acids due to the reaction is occurring if strong acids are reacted
with bleach that releases the chlorine gas which is toxic to
human (Soule, Larson & Preston 1995, p. 141). Besides,people
may find it difficult in reading the value of relative body
temperature and sterilizing the thermometer before or after
measurement. According to Allen (2006, p. 575) state that the
normal body temperature varies with different people and in day
time, the relative body temperature of fever is above 38.6°C.
Besides, before or after using the thermometer are sterilized
with antiseptic solution that reduces the risk of the transmission
of swine flu.
The difficulties in using vitamin D pills are the precaution and
interactions with vitamin D. If my family members suffer from
the hyperparathyroidism, they should not supplement of vitamin
D without consulting with pharmacist or doctor. Due to taking

6. the vitamin D pills have side effects like headaches, weight
loss, and diarrhea, my family should stop to have a vitamin D
pills and consult with a physician (Lininger et al. 1999,
p.344).In regard to the air purifier, where the air purifier should
be installed? The air purifier should be set up in the bathroom,
the bedroom, and the parlor. It can filter the swine flu virus
continuously and increase the air exchange rate in the area that
is higher levels of pollutants(United States Environmental
Protection Agency 2012).
PART C: what additional information was needed
In the emergency box, I reject to put swine flu vaccine to my
family. The currently available types of swine flu vaccines may
not match the swine flu virus that breaks out in Australia due to
the new strain of swine flu virus have been created (Abramson
2011, p. 151).Besides, the vaccine which is the powerful
medication should be administered and stored with the specific
condition or equipment. Thus, it is very difficult to store the
vaccine and inject the vaccine (Plant & Watson 2008, p.
101).Besides, according to the Australian Institute of Health
and Welfare (2011) reported 81.1% of Australian without
having the national level vaccination up taking of Swine flu in
2009 because they worried about the side effect of vaccine and
they believed that they did not get the swine flu easily. Thus,
my family rejects to have vaccination due to these reasons.
Besides, I also reject to put the antiviraldrugs to my family. The
antiviral drugs like Tamiflu which need a physician prescription
have many side effects such as dizziness, diarrhea, and nausea
(Simpson 2011, p. 21-22). Moreover, I reject to put the surgical
masks into emergency box. It is because the surgical masks do
not protect the transmission of pathogen through airborne route
like swine flu. It only protects against the contact or droplet of
the nasal or oral mucosa. Thus, I use the P2 masks instead of
the surgical masks (Department of Health and Ageing 2006,
p.15).

7. In conclusion, P2 (N95) mask, alcohol-based hand rub, chemical
disinfectants, medical thermometer, vitamin D pills, and air
purifier in the emergency box can protect my family and me to
prevent from the infection of swine flu and live safe
environment. My family and I can useP2 (N95) mask, alcohol-
based hand rub, and chemical disinfectants against the
transmission of swine flu virus through airborne route or
physical contact. The medical thermometer and vitamin D pills
are for fever which is the main symptom of swine flu and
enhance the body immunity against the swine flu virus. If there
is an outbreak of swine flu in Australia, my family and I can
survive with the emergency box at home.
References:
Abramson, JS 2011, Inside the 2009 Influenza Pandemic, World
Scientific,Massachusetts
Allen, PJ 2006, ‘Home Care Fact Sheet: Influenza’, Pediatric
Nursing, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 573-578
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011,2009 Adult
Vaccination Survey-Summary results,Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare, Canberra
Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists 2004, ‘Swedish
Mobile Air Purification System’, Canadian Journal of
Respiratory Therapy, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 27
Cannell, JJ, Vieth, R, Umhau, JC, Holick, MF, Grant, WB,
Madronich, S, Garland, CF, Giovannucci, E 2006, ‘Epidemic
influenza and vitamin D’, Epidemiology infection, vol. 134, pp.
1129-1140
Chin, J 2000, Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 17th

8. edn, American Public Health Association, Washington
Department of Health and Ageing 2006, Interim Infection
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Hughes, DA, Norton, R 2009, ‘Vitamin D and respiratory
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Kennamer, M 2007, Basic Infection Control for Health Care
Providers, Thomson Delmar Learning, New York
Lininger, SW, Gaby, AR, Austin, S, Brown, DJ, Wright, JV,
Duncan, A 1999, The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd edn, Healthnotes,
California
Motacki, K, O’Mara, NB, Kapoian, T 2011, An Illustrated
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York
Nguyen-Van-Tama, JS, Hampsonb, AW 2003, ‘The
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Plant, A, Watson, C 2008, Communicable Disease Control: An
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Pratt, R 2009, ‘Influenza: Infection Prevention and Control’,
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Ryan, JR 2009, Pandemic influenza: emergency: emergency
planning and community preparedness, CRC Press, Florida
Simpson, N 2011, ‘Tamiflu’, Pediatrics for Parents, Vol. 25,
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9. Soule, BM, Larson, EL, Preston, GA 1995, Infection and
Nursing Practice: Prevention and Control, Mosby, St. Louis
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