Question:

Do you think that this outbreak of the swine flu is the next pandemic?

Answer:

Possibly. Not very much is known yet about how easily the swine influenza that has occurred in individuals in several states is being transmitted from person to person. If this virus is so transmissible that outbreaks of influenza happen in several countries or on several continents, then it would be a pandemic.

For more information:

Go to the Pandemic Flu health topic.