1999 Swine Flu Infected 20% of People Worldwide

(photo: LA Times)

A BBC report cites medical research that suggests one in five people worldwide were "infected" with swine flu during the 1999 pandemic.

The study, led by the World Health Organization, noted that all infected people did not develop "full-blown flu." The virus was especially problematic for children; researchers noted one-half of schoolchildren most likely contracted the flu.

The 1999 incident reminded me about the considerable mayhem this year's flu in the United States has caused. Many colleagues have missed work, their children forced to be absent from school, the risk factors for the health of the elderly have escalated. I went into disease prevention mode: I washed my hands as often as possible, I absolutely avoided sneezers and coughers, and I got as much rest as I could. I dreaded air travel, as airplanes are made-to-order disease incubators and ideal environments for their spread.

If the 1999 pandemic, which affected one in five adults globally, is any indication of worldwide distribution patterns, this year's viral attacks will have impacted far more people. However, one just has to muddle through this situation as best one can. It's not as if retreat into a sterile bubble is an option.