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Story: Mumps
Spreads in Colleges in Midwest, 04/26/06
1. What is happening in Midwestern states? 2. What is mumps and what are some of the effects of mumps infection? 3. How does mumps spread? 4. What happened in 1967 and how did this change affect the number of mumps cases? 5. What can an individual do to prevent the spread of mumps?
Discussion Activity (more research might be needed): 1. Which vaccinations do your state, county and school require? 2. The CDC has said that two MMR vaccination doses are 90% effective in preventing mumps. The Iowa Department of Public Health has reported that half of mumps victims in this outbreak are 17 to 22 years olds and that one third of all people infected with mumps are students. If you were in charge of your state's mumps immunization effort, what steps would you take to slow the current outbreak and prevent future outbreaks? How effective do you think your plan would be? 3. Research the following viral diseases: smallpox, influenza, AIDS, West Nile virus and bird flu. Create a timeline that shows: the first reported case (and its origin when it's known), significant historical events related to the disease, and milestones in disease prevention. Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site. |