Can We Prevent Swine Flu Outbreaks In Future?

What is the best way to prevent the swine flu from becoming the serious pandemic that the world was fearing? Some say that it is important to develop a vaccine for this particular strain of influenza NOW, rather than waiting to see if it becomes a problem. However, if the threat really never does materialize, then those vaccine resources for development and implementation will be wasted while other more serious vaccines could have and should have been developed.

Each year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzes flu patterns to see which vaccines they will develop. They have to consider the severity of the flu symptoms as well as the nature of the flu strain and how quickly it spreads from person to person. Considering the statistics so far, possibly we were overly concerned about the swine flu and what it could do. Unfortunately, we don’t have the ability to look into the future and see how damaging it can become in the months head—and specifically, next winter.

For now, it seems that what countries are doing is working:

Warning against unnecessary travel to areas where the flu is spreading
Watching for those who are sick at the border and airports—and turning them away
Closing schools when flu cases break out
Using filter masks
Quarantining those who are confirmed to be sick with the swine flu
Discouraging physical contact in public such as in churches
In severe cases, closing or limiting businesses where people congregate (restaurants, night clubs, sport centers, etc.) and public transportation