Swine Flu: Potential Pandemic Has Many People Working Harder

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