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An epidemic of influenza virus that spreads world wide and infects a large part of the population is referred to as a pandemic. An influenza pandemic is different from the regular yearly outbreak of seasonal flu. Pandemics do not occur each year, they only occur occasionally and irregularly. Since we are facing a pandemic in 2009, you are probably wondering: Should I worry about swine flu? What is there to worry about?

Three such pandemics struck the world during the 20th century and that seems to be the average over the past several hundred years. The most serious was the Spanish Flu of 1918 that killed over 50 million people. Again, in 1957 there was the Asian Flu Pandemic, which killed about 2 million people, and the Hong Kong Flu Pandemic of 1968 killed over one million.

The strain of pandemic influenza that is currently receiving world wide media attention is suspected of having had its origin at a Mexican pig farm in a small town called La Gloria, in Vera Cruz. It first appeared in humans sometime in early 2009. This is as an entirely new strain of influenza that we have not seen before in humans.

These deadly strains that cause pandemics originate with either bird (H5N1) or pigs (H1N1). Sometimes these strains seem to be able to hop between the two carriers. Whatever the case, it has been proven that, although rare, these avian and swine strains can be transmitted to human hosts — with deadly results. Because of its capacity to spontaneously produce shockingly lethal strains, it is currently the most dreaded microbe we face today.

Should I Worry About the Swine Flu? Influenza pandemics are very serious and ignoring them won’t make them go away. The fact that a deadly influenza pandemic is imminent should move more people to learn and understand the dimensions of the problem. The more people that learn, the more people who will be educated in how to deal with it. Everyone should have a basic understanding of pandemic influenza because there are things you need to know in order to survive and perhaps save the life of family members or loved ones.

It may appear that the influenza has passed you by, but history warns that a pandemic of swine or bird flu can strike quickly in many varied ways. Besides the obvious health concerns, lives can be disrupted in other ways, too. Here are just a few of many reasons you should worry about the swine flu pandemic:

A simulation of an influenza pandemic carried out by members of the World Economic Forum showed that the Internet could shut down during a severe pandemic in a period as short as two days. Other agencies fear panic buying will result in empty food shelves that will not be restocked due to disruptions in trucking and transportation. Also feared are shortages of hospital beds and medical staff. We could easily be facing empty workplaces and a dramatic slowdown — or stoppage — of commerce.

There are things you can do to minimize the chance that you or your family will become victims of pandemic influenza. If this article spurs you to do nothing else but to establish an Action Plan, then you will have profited from reading it.