# Bad flu season East Coast: Boston, NYC "state of emergency": ramifications? ; "pandemic" definition?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-flu-season-east-coast-boston-nyc-state-of-emergency-ramifications-pandemic-definition/647390>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 16, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-flu-season-east-coast-boston-nyc-state-of-emergency-ramifications-pandemic-definition/647390 "2013-01-16T16:17:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-flu-season-east-coast-boston-nyc-state-of-emergency-ramifications-pandemic-definition/647390/1 "2013-01-16T16:17:52Z")

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See subject. I don’t know if that declaration is a statewide thing.

My quick scan, in NYC, is that pharmacists can now give vax to children. True? There must be other things that kick in.

Also, “pandemic” is such a shit-scary word. Perhaps it applies. Epidemiological term of art?

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**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-flu-season-east-coast-boston-nyc-state-of-emergency-ramifications-pandemic-definition/647390/2 "2013-01-16T16:29:53Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> See subject. I don’t know if that declaration is a statewide thing.

In Massachusetts it is.

We also had a state of emergency in the hospital where I work. Apparently we were overrun with sick people.☹

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**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2013, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-flu-season-east-coast-boston-nyc-state-of-emergency-ramifications-pandemic-definition/647390/3 "2013-01-16T16:39:47Z")

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> [@Leo\_Bloom](#):
>
> Also, “pandemic” is such a shit-scary word. Perhaps it applies. Epidemiological term of art?

The proper use of “pandemic” is when a disease affects large areas, multiple countries or even the globe (e.g. AIDS); “epidemic” would be a more precise term to use here. As Wikipedia [puts it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemic):

> [@](#):
>
> An epidemic may be restricted to one location; however, if it spreads to other countries or continents and affects a substantial number of people, it may be termed a pandemic.