week 8 - tutespark - Cyberpunk

CYBERPUNK:
Corporate control over society: Cyberpunk almost always has an ever powerful controlling entity that directs society. Most often this is represented as a corporation. Some times its simply an ever present singular government. A common theme for corporate control involves a futuristic dystopia, where the last traces of high civilization exist only in an enclosed and protected city, where civil liberties are removed under the guise of protecting humanity.


I decided to incorporate ideas from the Resident Evil series to incorporate into a story about the flu vaccines for young children being recalled in Australia.


I retrieved the story from -http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/23/2880763.htm

Doctors told not to give the vaccine to under-5s

Updated Fri Apr 23, 2010 12:41pm AEST

Umbrella Corp said people suffering from the effects of the virus changed from seriously ill to critical as officials investigated whether a bad batch of vaccine was to blame. Doctors are being warned not to give the vaccine to children under the age of five, after a child fell critically ill and dozens more suffered serious adverse reactions after receiving the vaccine in New York.

Umbrella Corp's Health Minister Jackie Cartwright says that in the past month, 23 otherwise healthy children have suffered fever, vomiting, febrile convulsions and developed an appetite for human flesh hours after receiving the vaccination.

America's chief medical officer Jim Black says parents should not have their children vaccinated at the moment.

"Until we know more we've suggested that we don't use that [vaccine] for the moment in children under five as the effects it has had upon the children are extremely contagious," he told ABC Local Radio this morning.

"I'm advising all doctors today not to use it until we know a bit more.

"This is not the expected reaction, therefore I just think it's wise and precautionary not to use it in children under five to avoid the effects from spreading worldwide."

Professor Bishop says there have been hundreds of reports of issues with the vaccine in other states or territories.

"We've asked the Umbrella Corp to be in touch with all of the states and we've spoken to chief health officers of all of the states," he said.

"We're getting all the information together so that we have a very complete picture, which we don't have fully at the moment."

This morning a spokeswoman for Federal Health Minister Nicola Rixon said all American parents were being advised not to give their children the vaccine.

The spokeswoman described the measure as a "precaution".

New York's Health Department has suspended the vaccination program for children under five after a spike in admissions to Princess Merideth Hospital (PMH).

New York's chief health officer, Terry Beach, says the department is investigating whether the reactions were caused by a particular type of vaccine or batch.

"We are concerned that there's a much higher number of fever and canibalistic reactions than would be expected, and doctors at PMH have told us this," he said.

"Now we have to work out why, whether it's related to a particular type of vaccine or particular batch."

"Until we find out why these reactions have occured we must put all affected patients into isolation where they can be monitored and tested."

One of the manufacturers, CSL, says it is aware of the matter and is working closely with the Diseased Goods Administration and New York authorities.

Dr Beach says parents should closely monitor their child if they have been vaccinated in the past 24 hours.

"Cool the child, [give them] paracetamol and make sure their temperature returns to normal, if it doesn't bring them to an isolation facility immediately" he said.



Here is the trailer for the first Resident Evil series, retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiS6gtClrqk