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Pandemic flu
We can be relatively certain that an influenza pandemic will happen at some point in our life times - we're overdue for one [it may not be bird 'flu that mutates into a form of 'flu easily transmissible from person to person, but eventually some virus will almost certainly mutate into a form of disease that's easily transmissible and deadly].
I think one of the things it's going to do is alter the balance between professional and amateur. There won't be enough health care professionals to go round, so lots of people who would normally be considered ill enough to be in hospital will be cared for at home. Amateur carers will gain knowledge and skill that's usually reserved for professionals because without it they won't be able to care. People will become generally reskilled and better able to make decisions about their own health.
I've been perusing Flu Wiki this weekend, amongst doing useful stuff and it's quite enlightening. There are suggestions on 'how to care for a sick person' that resemble a very old guide badge syllabus called 'home nurse' - I think some forms of healthcare have become so professionalised that people lack confidence in their own ability to provide nursing care for their loved ones. And the stuff recommended is simple/makes sense for non-pandemic influenza too - see this guide [with the proviso that I disagree with the author's interpretation of aspirin as equivalent ibuprofen, as the two things are sufficiently different that they could be taken together (though this wouldn't be good for the stomach), and aceteminophen = paracetamol] - create a warm, pleasant, hygienic sick room, give the ill person enough fluid to prevent dehydration, take basic measurements that allow you to go 'oh, actually need a doctor', 'low BP = probably dehydrated, more fluids needed' etc.
Hesperian is also a really interesting site, with books written in very simple language explaining how to treat medical problems when you don't have access to a doctor - they're intended for the use of people in third world countries, but look really useful for any situation in which there isn't going to be a doctor available.
I think one of the things it's going to do is alter the balance between professional and amateur. There won't be enough health care professionals to go round, so lots of people who would normally be considered ill enough to be in hospital will be cared for at home. Amateur carers will gain knowledge and skill that's usually reserved for professionals because without it they won't be able to care. People will become generally reskilled and better able to make decisions about their own health.
I've been perusing Flu Wiki this weekend, amongst doing useful stuff and it's quite enlightening. There are suggestions on 'how to care for a sick person' that resemble a very old guide badge syllabus called 'home nurse' - I think some forms of healthcare have become so professionalised that people lack confidence in their own ability to provide nursing care for their loved ones. And the stuff recommended is simple/makes sense for non-pandemic influenza too - see this guide [with the proviso that I disagree with the author's interpretation of aspirin as equivalent ibuprofen, as the two things are sufficiently different that they could be taken together (though this wouldn't be good for the stomach), and aceteminophen = paracetamol] - create a warm, pleasant, hygienic sick room, give the ill person enough fluid to prevent dehydration, take basic measurements that allow you to go 'oh, actually need a doctor', 'low BP = probably dehydrated, more fluids needed' etc.
Hesperian is also a really interesting site, with books written in very simple language explaining how to treat medical problems when you don't have access to a doctor - they're intended for the use of people in third world countries, but look really useful for any situation in which there isn't going to be a doctor available.