ASB 301 MODULE 4 DISCUSSION: Outbreak!

The ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion: Outbreak! takes a historical pandemic or epidemic and attempts to uncover some profound public health transformation or social response. You will also think back on these past events and apply those lessons to today’s pandemic challenges. This How-To ASB 301 Guide will help you systematically approach each part of the ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion: Outbreak!

Selecting a Past Pandemic or Epidemic

We will select a pandemic to start the ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion: Outbreak!

I select the Pandemic of 2020 (COVID-19).

• Research and Identify: Select a time period where an epidemic or pandemic impacted public health or the whole society.
• Criteria for Selection: Think it through by considering what the long-term effect on the public health policy that can influence social structure can be.
• Review Course Materials: Look through the course’s lectures, readings, and other resources.
• Select Relevant Examples: Examples that show the effect that a chosen pandemic had on public health and social responses are selected.
• Cite Properly: Write according to your instructor’s required citation format (APA, MLA, etc.).
   

Example

I have chosen COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 for this discussion. Unlike all other pandemics, this unprecedented pandemic has brought an unprecedented pattern of transmission and unprecedent public health and social impact. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 pandemic began late 2019 and spread quickly around the world, causing major impact on public health and social norms (Hsu et al., 2020). Millions of infections and deaths throughout the world make the scope of COVID-19 unparalleled in recent history. It is a critical subject for analysis primarily because of its long term effects on public health policies and social structures and its mortality rate. For instance, the pandemic has fuelled widespread overtake to remote work, very excessive hygiene protocols in open areas, and the reorganization of healthcare systems to prioritize the response to COVID-19.

Tell us which past pandemic or epidemic led to the most critical public health transformation or other social response. Cite specific examples from the course materials as evidence to support your argument.

Analyzing Public Health Transformation or Social Response

We then move on to analyze the change in public health.

• Define Key Transformations: Look for major shifts in public health polices or social behaviors resulting from the pandemic.
• Use Evidence: Find specific examples and data in the course materials supporting your analysis.
• Be Analytical: Analyse why these transformations mattered and how they solved the problems of coping with the pandemic.

Example

The extensive impact of COVID-19 on multiple sectors is highlighted in the course materials. For instance, it included lectures on global health responses, and readings on pandemic preparedness, that gave some insights into the complex consequences of the pandemic. For example, one important instance is the speed at which vaccines have developed and executed (Adil et al., 2021). For vaccine development and mass vaccination campaigns, and the overall process, the scale and speed is unprecedented, and represents significant improvement in our public health responses. Course work materials should be properly cited according to APA guidelines. An example is ‘The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines is a major milestone in public health as a successful demonstration of rapid response in future pandemics’ (Sriram & Insel, 2021).

However, the COVID-19 pandemic is beginning a critical transformation in public health and social responses. Major changes are in place, such as the use of telehealth services, widespread use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as social distancing. This has transformed the healthcare delivery landscape and life, social interaction. The providers of telehealth services have expanded so patients can get medical care without appointments in person. The shift has increased access to health care, especially for remote or hard to reach populations. Telehealth also contributed to reducing the burden hospitals and clinics by lowering the number of physical contact needed amongst healthcare providers and patients.

Learning from Past Social Responses

In this section, we will explore what we learned from past social responses.

• Identify Lessons: Think about previous social approaches to pandemics and draw lessons we can learn from there.
• Apply to Current Context: Talk about how these lessons would be applicable during the current pandemic.
• Example: Show the potential of community solidarity from the AIDS crisis to provide the architecture of social support during COVID-19.
• Contextualize Lessons: Link past lessons, in some way, to certain aspects of the current pandemic.
• Propose Actions: Suggest how such lessons can constrain individuals, communities or societies to practical measures.
• Use Evidence: Show your suggestions with examples from historical and current examples.

Example

The pandemic has valuable lessons to be learned from past social responses to pandemics. The most important lesson we have learned from the HIV/AIDS crisis is the key of community solidarity and networks. Applicability of these elements to the COVID-19 crisis is clear. During COVID-19, community support mechanisms like mutual aid groups have been highly important. With these groups, resources, and above all, solidarity are offered to those in need fostering resilience. Community organizations were important to the provision of care and to advocacy for patients during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Similarly, mutual aid groups and volunteer networks took shape around the country to help vulnerable populations during COVID19. Such experience underscores the great power afforded by the actions of the community, as well as the fact that so many individuals can indeed count on making a difference in a time of crisis. (To et al., 2021). The study showed that local level initiatives are important in managing public health crisis. It can strengthen local public health infrastructure, and as a result community resilience and response capabilities. Actions which are practical include increased community health education, investments in local healthcare, and increasing volunteerism. But these actions can form the basis for a powerful public health system able to respond to future pandemics. Strong local public health infrastructure is shown by historical successes such as setting up community health centers in the past epidemics. It underscores the security and stability that a firm local health system offers in times of crisis. (Sriram & Insel, 2021).

Finally, the COVID 19 pandemic has been a catalyst for major public health transformations and a reminder of community responses. Learning from past pandemics and using those lessons to deal with today’s and the future public health challenges, can help societies deal with on going and potential future public health challenges. An effective public health system can only be made resilient with investment in local health infrastructure, and support in the community. In summary, the pandemic has underlined the need for rapid response, that of community solidarity as well as the critical role which local health infrastructure plays in crisis management.

Students must post a response to two other classmates’ initial posts that are no more than 50-100 words and engage in critical or substantive ways with the initial post (e.g., exemplar, critique, question).

Peer Responses

Responding to peers is one of the vital parts of the ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion: Outbreak!. It is necessary to at least provide two peer response. So I will provide one example post. Note the below points, you can write your peer responses by keeping these points in mind.

• Read Classmates’ Posts: Look at the first posts made by your classmates carefully.
• Engage Critically: You could give constructive feedback, question or give more insights.
• Keep it Brief: Be sure your responses are short (50 to 100 words), and directly relate to the content of this original post.
• Pass/Fail Criteria: Try to get the grading criteria by achieving meaningful engagement.

Example

Response 01

Hey Sara, nice post! The COVID impact analysis is comprehensive. This is particularly relevant when it comes to expanding telehealth, which has expanded healthcare access, especially in remote areas. Your discussion of community solidarity and support mechanisms parallels the success of the salvage strategies employed during the early days of the HIV Aids crisis, and the lessons need not be relearned. Two key steps toward building a resilient system are to increase local public health infrastructure and promote volunteerism. These are good measures for excellent crisis management and pandemic preparedness, you pointed out.

Response 02

We are supposed to write two peer response. I have made one response to the given instructions. With these instructions, you can easely write Module 4 discussion peer responses.

Closing

The ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion: Outbreak! takes a deep dive into historical pandemics to help you understand their transformative influence on public health and society. Looking back at these past events and learning lessons to understand the present and future health crises will help you have a standpoint that takes advantage of the current and future health crises. Peer responses also improve the learning experience when classmates are engaged in an intimate discussion around critical points. Using this How-To Owlisdom Guide and following it will allow you to systematically and effectively carry out the ASB 301 Module 4 Discussion of the global history of health, backed by materials from the course and critical engagement.

References

Adil, M. T., Rahman, R., Whitelaw, D., Jain, V., Al-Taan, O., Rashid, F., Munasinghe, A., & Jambulingam, P. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 and the pandemic of COVID-19. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 97(1144), 110–116.https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/2131478 

Hsu, L. Y., Chia, P. Y., & Lim, J. F. (2020). The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Ann Acad Med Singap, 49(3), 105–107.https://www.annals.edu.sg/pdf/49VolNo3Mar2020/V49N3p105.pdf 

Sriram, K., & Insel, P. A. (2021). Inflammation and thrombosis in COVID-19 pathophysiology: Proteinase-activated and purinergic receptors as drivers and candidate therapeutic targets. Physiological Reviews, 101(2), 545–567.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468867323000408 

To, K. K.-W., Sridhar, S., Chiu, K. H.-Y., Hung, D. L.-L., Li, X., Hung, I. F.-N., Tam, A. R., Chung, T. W.-H., Chan, J. F.-W., & Zhang, A. J.-X. (2021). Lessons learned one year after SARS-CoV-2 emergence leading to COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging Microbes & Infections, 10(1), 507–535.