David Gargaro

Why you should care about contagion By David Gargaro If you haven’t already heard about Contagion, the movie is based on the outbreak of a deadly and virulent disease known as MEV-1. The story follows the global panic that results from the spread of the disease, as members of the government and health care community attempt to find a cure while trying to manage the chaotic situation. The movie combines both fantasy and reality to demonstrate what could happen if a pandemic were to occur. Why should you pay attention to Contagion? Because it is entirely possible. The hypothetical disease MEV-1 in the movie consists of elements from Ebola (1995), the Nipah virus (1998), SARS (2003) and H1N1 swine flu (2009). Many experts feared that each of these diseases had the potential to cause an epidemic on the scale seen in the movie. These diseases also had global implications, and spread to areas outside of the regions in which they arose. SARS spread to 13 countries in less than one month, while H1N1 travelled around the world in mere weeks. Some experts believe that the fight to contain a pandemic will eventually fail. Viruses recur and mutate, and can spread to the point where existing vaccines become ineffective. You might be vaccinated against one strain of a disease, and then be exposed to a new strain of that disease a year later. This scenario occurred in 1918, when a mild strain of influenza infected most of Europe, and then returned in a more virulent form several months later, killing more than 50 million people. “There is a very real possibility of widespread viral infection,” said Craig Andrews, President, Germguard Canada. “We live in a global village, and the interaction of people from many different cultures leads to the spread of many types of bacteria. One sick person touching an elevator button can infect hundreds of thousands of people.” How much faith do you have in the government’s ability to protect you against an epidemic? The Canadian government and various health organizations might be on the ball with respect to tracking diseases and developing vaccines. But what about the rest of the world? The World Health Organization is running a massive budget deficit, and has to cut back on resources and spending. The US government is shifting its resource funding away from epidemics, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are under severe financial scrutiny. Public health is only as strong as its weakest link. Consider how many people in Third World nations have little or no access to treatments, vaccines or medical care. These areas are susceptible to epidemics, and news of an outbreak does not always travel as fast as the disease itself. By the time an epidemic has been discovered, an infected person from a Third World nation could have boarded a plane to anywhere in the world, infecting all the passengers and everyone they meet. While Contagion was realistic, the premise that a vaccine can be quickly developed and distributed is unlikely. Existing vaccines would 20 profile Profile_Fall2011.indd 20 11/22/11 10:34:25 PM be completely useless, especially when dealing with a completely new virus (or a new strain of an existing disease). It takes four to six months to develop the annual flu vaccine. Identifying a new virus, developing a vaccine and trying to determine its safety for human usage would take even longer. And if the disease were as virulent and deadly as the one in the movie, the health care system would be under heavy strain, making it much more difficult to distribute the vaccine to the general public. Here’s an interesting fact to consider while you read this article: The average person touches their face three to five times per minute. Each time you touch your face, you risk exposing yourself to viruses and bacteria. How many different surfaces did you touch today before you touched your face? How many different people touched those surfaces? How many of them didn’t wash their hands before they touched those surfaces? All it takes is one person to cause a local epidemic. “Researchers in various scientific studies have conducted swab tests on conference tables and reception areas in numerous corporate offices,” said Craig. “These tests determined that there were more types of virulent bacteria in these areas than in the average toilet.” On a related note: Many multi-residential properties have bathrooms that are equipped with hands-free toilets, hands-free sinks, handsfree soap dispensers and hands-free dryers. But you still have to touch the door handle to enter and exit the bathroom. That makes very little health sense. So what can you do to protect yourself? Wash your hands regularly, and long enough (about 20 seconds) to ensure a thorough cleanse. Clean and disinfect high-touch surface areas on a regular basis. Follow instructions on the bottle to make sure that you are using the cleaning products properly. The average disinfectant will kill 99.9% of common germs on contact, but only when used properly (and only for a limited time). “One common problem is that cleaning personnel do not spend enough time disinfecting surfaces in multi-residential properties, commercial buildings, hospitals, offices, subway trains and other high-traffic spaces,” said Craig. “The best solution is to use antimicrobial products, which last much longer than regular disinfectants, in high-touch, high-traffic, highvolume areas.” when necessary. Be responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of your home and office. P There’s no need to wear a HAZMAT suit or live in a bubble to protect yourself against bacteria and disease. Use cleaning products properly and follow a regular cleaning regimen. Stay home from work when you’re sick, and tell others to do the same. Talk to your health practitioner For more information on protecting your property with antimicrobial products, visit www.germguard.ca, or to contact Craig Andrews, President, GERMGUARD Canada, email-or call-(GERM). Recognized Legal Expertise in Property Leasing and Real Estate The Commercial Leasing Group offers some of the pre-eminent expertise in the field. Our team acts for developers, lenders, property and asset managers, landlords and tenants of all types of office, industrial and retail properties. Our knowledge of the business aspects of leasing enables us to offer value added counsel and excellent service in negotiating leases and related agreements, structuring transactions and the enforcement of landlord and tenant rights and remedies. Ranked by the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as the single most frequently recommended full service law firm for property leasing. For more information contact Stephen Posen at - or Stephen J. Messinger at -. Visit our website www.mindengross.com profile 21 Profile_Fall2011.indd 21 11/22/11 10:34:26 PM