IN A CASE STUDY You should have all of the following:

1. IN A CASE STUDY You should have all of the following: 1) Title page 2) Contents page with page numbers on every page 3) Introduction to the Science (i) loads of detail for top marks, fully explained in your own words (ii) do not copy and paste any of this! 4) Main text: 3 x PEE for why to be worried, 3 x PEE for why not to be (i) include pictures, diagram, charts/tables as evidence (all fully referenced and explained) (ii) some of the evidence should be opinions of respected scientists. 5) Conclusion (i) that critically evaluatesthe two sides of the argument 6) Bibliography (i) have a range of resources – not just websites! Include the book & video (ii) number each reference and then fully reference in your study. (iii) comment on each source, discussing reliability and bias.

2. Points for worrying: • How easily/quickly swine flu spreads • Unpleasant symptoms of swine flu and people missing a week of work/school • Deaths from swine flu - people most at risk - healthy people that die (iv) Lack of ECMO machines or technology to cure serious cases (v) Side effects of the vaccine (vi) Possibility of mutation

3. Points for not worrying: • The relatively mild symptoms in most cases and tamiflu • The NHS health campaign to reduce the spread • Relatively few deaths (numbers) • A vaccine that is safety tested and works • The Swine Flu Service closed in February

4. Learn how to PEE properly! e.g. A reason to be worried about swine flu is how quickly it has spread from person to person in order to become a global pandemic. ‘As of 7 March 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16713 deaths’source 1 Swine flu can spread quickly because all viruses have protein coat that surrounds and protects their structure, meaning they can survive in water droplets and on surfaces outside the human body for a number of hours. When people come into close contact, sneeze, cough or do not wash hands after touching an infected surface will get the infection. This is likely in modern society.

5. So what’s wrong with this? ‘To date there have been 14,286 deaths from swine flu, as swine flu has been classed as pandemic potential; Most of these deaths are caused by the lack of ECMO machines in the UK. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, as the name implies it refers to the delivery of oxygen for patients whose heart and lungs cannot function’ What was the point? Where is the evidence (it isn’t referenced!)? Explain the Science behind it all

6. Use of diagrams - PEE Source 2: A diagram from the BBC news website. This diagram shows the percentage of patients hospitalised by swine flu either due to underlying conditions or without.The data shows that in general, older patients have underlying conditions that cause them to hospitalised. Patients under five do not have underlying conditions so it is the swine flu virus itself that makes them severely ill and ages 5 – 44 tend to have nearly a 50/50 split. In conclusion, the elderly might have illnesses such as that have already put a strain on their immune system, such as cancer which requires chemotherapy and destroys white blood cells. Young children do not have a fully mature immune system and their white blood cells have not experienced many viruses that they can produce the antibodies for. Both of these groups would have cause to be worried about swine flu as it has the potential to make them severely ill – enough to be admitted to hospital.

7. Find quotations from scientists! PEE e.g. A reason to be less worried about the swine flu virus is the emergence of the vaccine. A vaccine is a inactive version of the virus that is injected into the body so white blood cells are able to produce antibodies and produce memory cells that will remember these antibodies should a person become infected with the virulent strain. The NHS issued a statement to reassure people of the safety of this vaccine saying; ‘vaccines would not be licensed if they were considered unsafe. Both swine flu vaccines have been licensed’ source 3 In order for any medication to be allowed to be issued either privately or by the NHS, it will have gone through a series of tests – starting in the laboratory, then on animals and finally on human volunteers. If at any point there are dangerous side effects observed, the drug is not issued to the public.

8. Conclusion – critically evaluate In conclusion, I am not worried about swine flu for the reasons I have stated in my report: there is a vaccine to increase immunity to the virus, the majority of cases are mild and can be treated by tamiflu. I do not have an underlying condition that might mean an infection would affect me more severely. However, the number of deaths in people without an underlying health condition might worry some. The BBC states there have been 362 deaths in the UK from swine flu to date source 1. However, ‘at its peak, 40,000 people a week received antivirals through the National Pandemic Flu Service’, meaning that if the deaths had happened over that week, only 0.9% of cases would result in death (less than 1 in 100) so the actual probability would be even smaller.

9. Bibliography example Source 1: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/notes/briefing_20091222/en/index.html The World Health organisation is a reliable source of information on a health issue such as swine flu as its primary role is to be the leading authority on health within the United Nations. It is made up of qualified professionals and scientists such as the Director General - Dr Margaret Chan, who has a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in Canada and has had a long career in public health. The source is unlikely to be bias because the primary concern of the ‘WHO’ is to make sure people’s health is handled appropriately and they will evaluate the safety of people carefully.