Contagion: Film About Flu Pandemic in 1918

The 2011 film Contagion revolves around a pandemic, such as the influenza virus, which no individual within a population encountered previously, and which is capable of causing considerable harm. The virus emerges from Malaysia. It originates from bats before spreading quickly to humans, resulting in deaths of millions of people around the world CITATION Roo11 \l 1033 (Roos). Although the scenario is extreme, it is not an impossible one. The major verdict associated with the film is that it emphasizes on telling a suspenseful and engaging story without encouraging viewers to swallow the major public health and scientific whoppers surrounding the epidemic CITATION Bar111 \l 1033 (Barius).

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Concerning the accuracy of the film, the makers designed a probable virus and revealed an accurate response situation within a laboratory and intervention by the public. The actors carefully demonstrate the diseases symptoms. They illustrate how easy it is to spread the virus between individuals. In fact, in introducing the contagiousness concept as R0, they make comparisons of polio, influenza, and smallpox. In the movie, the actors discuss the difficulties that result from trying to stop the virus, while vaccines serve as the heroes. They reveal the way the CDC can understand the processes that led in the emergence of the virus and merged their efforts with academia to minimize its influences CITATION Off11 \l 1033 (Offit).

The accuracy of the film in illustrating the situation becomes apparent based on the way in which it illustrates the way the society breaks down based on the millions of deaths that occur due to the limitation of vaccines and supplies of food. The process of destroying the virus at the films end emerges as a powerful reminder concerning the zoonotic origin associated with numerous developing infectious illnesses CITATION Bar111 \l 1033 (Barius). In illustrating that, the virus is something that might affect any person naturally in the world today. The virus created for the movie revolves around the notion that most of the naturally evolving and re-evolving infectious illness threats. Nevertheless, synthetic biology is emerging as a growing vital field to facilitate in monitoring while the costs reduce and the process of accessing tools quickly CITATION Roo11 \l 1033 (Roos).

The film can illustrate the situation of the flu pandemic that took place in 1918. The 1918 flu pandemic resulted in deaths of around 50 million people although it affected around 500 million individuals globally. The flu was one of the major catastrophic epidemics in the history of the world CITATION Off11 \l 1033 (Offit). The same case applies to the film Contagion as the movie depicts a situation where the virus spreads in different parts of the world uncontrollably resulting in deaths of innumerable people. The people also encounter challenges when trying to access the vaccine, mostly because supply is limited as it is the case with the Spanish Flu of 1918 CITATION Bar111 \l 1033 (Barius).

Anti-science forces become apparent in the movie. Here, a conspiracy theorist stipulates that the virus result from a government plot, leading many people to develop significant mistrust in the government. The major issue in the film lays emphasis on science concerning the process of stopping the virus from developing a vaccine. In this sense, it is apparent that the movie Contagion serves as an illustration of the ways through which a virus not commonly witnessed by people can emerge leading to deaths of millions of individuals globally. Its effects are similar to that of the Spanish Flu that took place in 1918, which resulted in devastating consequences around the world, mostly because of the challenges in controlling the epidemic and limitations in accessing vaccine for the virus CITATION Off11 \l 1033 (Offit).

Works Cited

BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Barius, Claudette. "Contagion consultants talk about the movies scientific accuracy." 12 Sep 2011. The Washington Post. web. 29 Aug 2016. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/contagion-consultants-talk-about-the-movies-scientific-accuracy/2011/09/08/gIQAVOkUNK_story.html>.

Offit, Paul A. "Contagion, the Movie: An Expert Medical Review." 13 Sep 2011. Medscape. web. 29 Aug 2016. <http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/749482>.

Roos, Robert. "'Contagion' portrays extreme but not impossible scenario." 9 Sep 2011. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. web. 29 Aug 2016. <http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2011/09/contagion-portrays-extreme-not-impossible-scenario>.