Despite great advances in medicine like the vaccine or the external artificial heart, it is easy for forget that all it takes in one microscopic bug to unravel our entire society. This catastrophe is depicted in the 2014 film Contagion. This science fiction thriller follows the events of a global pandemic and the societal effects of a calamity of this scale. Our heroes, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to the World Health Organization (WHO) must race against the incredibly high rate of transmission. The epidemiological process is performed over the course of four months from the first day of the virus’s existence to the mass production of a vaccine. Produced by Hollywood giants Warner Bros. and Participant media, Contagion is not only an entertaining film but also accurately portrays the ten-step process of investigating the epidemic. In this paper, I will examine the epidemiological process used in the film Contagion and the portrayal of social impacts resulting from an epidemic.
The film opened with patient zero experiencing the harsh effects of the virus. This patient suffers from severe symptoms such as cold sweats, dilated pupils, paleness and blotchy skin, and blurred vision. As the disease incubates, the afflicted then experience a sudden seizure and convulsions resulting in them foaming at the mouths as their bodies fail. The virus is contracted by exposure to fomites – any object or substance capable of carrying infectious diseases (“Fairlex Partners Medical Dictionary” 2012). An autopsy of patient zero and further research of the virus indicated that it is highly virulent as it only survives in cells in the brain and central nervous system. In a matter of hours, the virus is able to complete shut down the human body.
Back at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, medical scientists did further research on the genetic makeup of the virus. They were able to determine that the virus was, in fact, a Chimeric pathogen (a combination or mutation of two or more organisms) made up of viral DNA from a bat and pig (“Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing” 2012). “Somewhere in the world, the wrong bat met up with the wrong pig,” one of the scientists mentions in the movie. The CDC was then able to verify the diagnosis and develop a case definition for the virus. From there, the organizations worked to find a cure.
Despite the disease spreading at a rapid rate, nothing spreads as quickly as fear. Within a few days, the public began to take notice of the epidemic. Initially, it was contained panic. The public listened to the authority figures and follow containment protocol set by the CDC. However, fueled by a fear-mongering conspiracy theorist and blogger, the illusion of control set by governmental authority was immediately diminished. This was exacerbated by a slip up by the CDC director when he advised his loved ones to evacuate the state of Illinois. This caused statewide quarantines and nation-wide panic. Rumors of a vaccine only available to the rich and elite spread like wildfire as the disease took hold of the world in a matter of days. This eventually created a “save yourself” environment. Grocery stores, banks, and homes were looted and broken into as people desperately tried to survive what seemed like the beginning of an apocalypse. However, more people stayed home and isolated themselves causing the rate of infection to slow down. In this time, animal trials for vaccines were accelerated despite not being able to find the origin. In 90 days, mass production of a vaccine began.
Again, the film follows the story over the course of 120 days. The disease portrayed was more virulent than Ebola and killed more people than the Spanish flu. In a short period, a nearly invisible pathogen created by a bat, a pig, and a piece of fruit caused 12% of the world’s population to die and the collapse of modern society. Nevertheless, the efficiency and dedication of the CDC and WHO in following and executing the 10-step epidemiological process (“Contagion: How to Investigate” 2011) were key for the survival of the world. A film like Contagion is important in reminding us just how easy it is for a tiny bug to bring society to its knees.
References
chimera. (n.d.) Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing. (2012). Retrieved July 13 2016 from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/chimera
Contagion: How to Investigate a Disease Outbreak | Food Safety News. (2011, October 10). Retrieved July 14, 2016, from http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/10/outbreak-investigation-a-cheat-sheet/#.V4fbpbgrKhc
fomite. (n.d.) Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary. (2012). Retrieved July 13 2016 from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/fomite
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