Many different terms are used to describe how diseases affect public health. Words like “pandemic”, “endemic” or “epidemic” may be thrown about for the current status of an illness.

But, one you may not hear very much is “global health emergency.” The World Health Organization recently used this rare term to describe the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This announcement had many people asking: what is a global health emergency and what makes such an event different from others?

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From the fall months through the spring, every sneeze or feeling of nausea creates fear of the flu. The virus is at its most dangerous and contagious during these months, also known as flu season. That’s because the respiratory illness can cause a range of severity, from mild to life-threatening.

One sneeze or cough from a seemingly infected person can spread the virus during these months. It may only take being in the same vicinity of the virus to contract the flu.

And after the infection starts, so do the symptoms.

A cough, sore throat, body aches and fever can all come from the flu. While most people recover in less than two weeks, it can be severe and lead to hospitalizations and death.

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Illnesses like E. coli and salmonella aren’t new to the United States. While outbreaks of these diseases aren’t common, some tainted food that’s sold across the country can lead to a spike in cases.

Like the salmonella outbreak in 2018, it appears we have a similar problem this year.

Over the last couple of months, salmonella has been reported throughout the entire continental United States. All 48 of those states have combined for almost 770 cases of the disease, according to the CDC. Of those infected, nearly 125 people were hospitalized, causing two salmonella-deaths in Ohio and Texas. The two states that had reported the most cases were Tennessee and Ohio.

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Consumer interaction with vaccines typically starts and ends with the shot at the doctor’s office. Many patients do not know the work that is required not only to manufacture a vaccine, but to create the vaccine base itself. Years of both research and development go into every immunization.

So what goes into a vaccine before you get it? And how is its development continued throughout the vaccine’s lifespan?

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Every flu season we hear doctors, nurses and experts alike recommend the flu shot.

Over the course of a flu season, millions will get the virus. According to the CDC, a range of 3-11% of Americans will get the flu every year.

Once it infects the throat, nose and lungs, the virus can cause some serious symptoms. That might mean a few days off work, trip to the hospital or for many, risk of death. That’s why so many harp on the importance of the flu vaccine.

The shot acts as the first toward protecting yourself against that season’s virus. But, one high-risk group is often worried about the vaccine.

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