The Laws And Protective Legislation - 1830 Words

LAWS/ PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION The APHA asked states to pass laws forbidding spitting, coughing and sneezing in public without covering the mouth to prevent the spread of influenza. Legislation was passed to prevent the use of common cups and required sterilization of eating and drinking utensils. Caregivers were encouraged to wear gauze masks when caring for patients and advertisements encouraged people wash hands frequently, especially before meals, and avoid sharing hand towels or eating and drinking with shared utensils. Additional protective measures suggested by the APHA included: Sterilization and disinfection for bedding and nurses uniforms, gauze hospital masks, paper tissues, and antiseptic hand wash. Pasteurization of milk was†¦show more content†¦The government should have also activated the Red Cross and Colored Red Cross Organizations and coordinated efforts between female aid workers to help manage childcare, nursing, food and health care at the community level. As influenza continued to spread, local officials urgently requested the Public Health Service to find more nurses and doctors. In October, Congress appropriated a million dollars for the Public Health Service. The money enabled the PHS to recruit and pay for additional doctors and nurses. The existing shortage of doctors and nurses, caused by the war, made it difficult for the PHS to locate and hire qualified practitioners. The virulence of the disease also meant that many nurses and doctors contracted influenza within days of being hired.Confronted with a shortage of hospital beds, many local officials ordered that community centers and local schools be transformed into emergency hospitals. In some areas, the lack of doctors meant that nursing and medical students were drafted to staff these makeshift hospitals.† -http://www.flu.gov/pandemic/history/1918/the_pandemic/influenza/index.html Poor organized communication and coordination of support efforts affected the spread of the virus and increased mortality rates in most communities.Before the pandemic erupted to new heights, number of doctors increased from twenty five, to two hundred fifty. Because the death rates were so high, many people were hesitant about