Swine Flu: Potential Pandemic Has Many People Working Harder

Posted by Bridget Quigg

Swine flu has arrived in the US and has most people either a little more cautious in public spaces or very scared of any public contact. I’ve spoken with more than one friend who is washing their hands more often or thinks twice about what that tickle in their throat might mean.

From the Salary Reporter’s perspective, it’s interesting to take a moment to consider the vast number of workers who are going to be involved in controlling this health threat. What are some of these jobs and what can PayScale’s data tell us about them? 

Medical / Clinical Laboratory Technician   

Job description: Assist biological and medical scientists in laboratories. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
Median annual salary: $38,020 per year

Public Health Nurse  

Job description: Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.
Median annual salary: $57,322 per year

News Journalist        

Job description: Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television.
Median annual salary: $45,285 per year

Public Health Educator         

Job description: Prepare and distribute health education materials, including reports, bulletins, and visual aids. Maintain databases, mailing lists, telephone networks to facilitate the functioning of health education programs. Develop and present health education and promotion programs such as training workshops, conferences, and school or community presentations. Document activities, track and record pertinent information; number of applications completed, presentations conducted, and persons assisted.
Median annual salary: $57,759 per year

Infectious Disease Doctor    

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases transferred from person to person, or animal to person, and caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms.
Median annual salary: $158,055 per year

General Practice Doctor       

Job description: Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.
Median annual salary: $132,310 per year