GLCH 1510 FINAL

**Epidemic vs. Pandemic**

An **epidemic** is a sudden increase of an illness in a specific community or region, while a **pandemic** is an ecological process that spreads across species and multiple continents.

**The Pandemic Arc Framework**

This conceptual tool views the **pathogen** as the defining actor, historically clearing the way for both societal devastation and medical or political innovations.

**Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs)**

These are public health measures implemented in the absence of vaccines, such as **mask mandates**, school closures, and travel restrictions.

**Resource Rationing Ethics**

During crises like polio or Covid-19, this involves the difficult choice of who receives life-saving therapy, such as **ventilators** or "iron lung" machines, during shortages.

**The "Jerk Virus" Metaphor**

This refers to an animal coronavirus that jumps to humans, finding a host with no prior immune experience and acting to make life as miserable as possible.

**Asymptomatic Spread**

A major challenge where infected individuals, particularly children, are 100% symptom-free but still contagious.

**R-naught (R0)**

The **basic reproduction number** that measures how contagious a virus is by representing the average number of people one sick person will infect.

**Elimination Strategy**

A government approach used by **New Zealand and Taiwan** that involved acting quickly and decisively with strict border controls to return to normal life faster.

**Mitigation and Suppression**

Strategies used by the **U.S. and much of Europe** that resulted in "rollercoaster waves" of infection and heavier economic impacts compared to elimination.

**WHO Authority Limits**

The **World Health Organization** can make "recommendations" but lacks the real authority to enforce them on sovereign member states.

**Bilateralism in Health**

A shift where global health becomes dependent on private, two-track bargaining between nations rather than shared, **multilateral** decision-making.

**Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)**

The non-medical conditions in which people are born, live, and work—such as **housing quality and job security**—that influence health outcomes.

**SDoH Domains**

The five key areas defined by **Healthy People 2030** are economic stability, education access, healthcare quality, neighborhood environment, and social context.

**Cultural Competence**

The ability to understand and respect cultural differences while providing high-quality, culturally sensitive services to diverse populations.

**Herd Immunity Goal**

The objective of reducing the **effective reproduction rate (R)** below 1% to enable disease control, rather than total eradication.

**mRNA vs. DNA Vaccines**

**mRNA vaccines** (e.g., Pfizer) are fast to produce but require ultra-cold storage, while **DNA vaccines** (e.g., ZyCoV-D) are cheaper and stable at fridge temperatures.

**Vaccine-Sensitive Resource Allocation**

The ethical dilemma of prioritizing scarce medical resources like **ICU beds** based on an individual's vaccination status.

**Infodemic**

A rapid and far-reaching spread of both accurate and inaccurate information that makes it difficult for the public to learn essential facts about a disease.

**Objective Criticism Framing**

A "rhetorical shield" where a news outlet takes an oppositional stance but uses a neutral, dispassionate tone to maintain a **guise of factual reporting**.

**Fear Appeals**

A framing difference where **Western newspapers** were more likely to use anxiety-based reports, while **Asian newspapers** tended to emphasize objective risk factors.

**Fake News vs. Conspiracy Theories**

**Fake news** producers know they are spreading lies for a goal, whereas **conspiracy theorists** genuinely believe in their secret plot narratives.

**Self-Sealing Theories**

A characteristic of conspiracy beliefs where any attempt to provide contrary evidence is interpreted by the believer as further evidence of the conspiracy.

**Syndemic**

A synergistic interaction between co-occurring diseases and social or environmental factors that magnifies the overall harm to a population.

**Equality vs. Equity**

**Equality** assumes everyone benefits from the same supports, while **Equity** provides specific supports based on individual needs to achieve comparable outcomes.

**Justice in Health**

Correcting and preventing future systemic harms by changing the underlying **power structures** and rules of global governance.

**Long Covid Management**

A patient-centered approach that focuses on specific symptoms and validates patient experiences rather than relying solely on **objective lab findings**.

**"The Lost Years"**

An integrative review documenting the surge in **anxiety, depression, and learning losses** among children and adolescents from 2019 to 2022.

**Slow Pedagogy**

An educational recommendation to prioritize **consistent relationships** and nurturing socio-emotional development over accelerated curricula during pandemic recovery.

**Messy Transitions**

A student perspective on higher education describing the blending of days, loss of time, and compromised quality during the move to **online learning**.

**Environmental Soundscape Shifts**

The pandemic led to outdoor noise reductions in traffic-dense zones, highlighting **noise pollution inequities** for low-income residents near highways.

**Permafrost Thaw Risks**

An environmental threat where melting ice can release pathogens, exemplified by the **anthrax release** among Siberian reindeer in 2016.