Contagion Analysis

In the movie Contagion, it is impossible to relate everything that I have learned in my History of Disease and Epidemics class to the plot of the film. It was as if Professor Keller had been the writer of the movie because of how many similarities there are with the Black Death and the MEV-1 virus. Interestingly, the film touched on topics of small pox which is what we are reading about now. For example, the MEV-1 virus spread through the people of Hong Kong who had eaten pigs that originally ate a banana piece dropped eaten by bats. This is parallel to small pox because the pigs that Hernando De Soto brought from Europe to America also were the causes of the disease spreading. Not only did the pigs reproduce quickly but it was uncontrollable to prevent the further spread of small pox because like wild fire, once it began it was impossible to end. The spread of small pox is exactly how the MEV-1 virus increased and broadened all around the world because once Beth contracted the virus from the chief, who had original contact with the infected pig, everything she touched, everyone she spoke too, and everyone or anything she came in contact with was contaminated.

One reason for the rapid spread of the Black Death throughout the world was because of immigration and travel by way of water and ships. Back then, there were no planes but today transportation through flying as Contagion shows is very common. Planes, therefore, are a main reason for the quick spread of the virus. The buses also that were shown in the movie are a cause of the spread of the disease because it is impossible not to touch a seat, pole, or wall; so if someone is ill then the virus will be transmitted.

Just as with other diseases, the MEV-1 virus is spread by "fomites" which are objects that were touched by the infected and now carry infectious germs. The discovery of these vectors caused the government to instill quarantine, curfews, and isolate people, which are all events that have occurred in the past pandemics. Other things that I find interesting as it parallels to the topics that I have read are the upper class having more privileges (specifically the government officials who received the vaccine first), how some people, such as Mitch, are immune to the virus, and how much fear people had for death and the disease.