With international travel being what it is currently, how could health officials hope to contain a communicable disease epidemic similar to the 1918 Influenza or the Middle Ages Bubonic Plague?

Answer 1

By catching it early! Countries like the United States and China who produce chickens, have large, dense populations, and who have good health infrastructure work relentlessly to educate and vaccinate poultry workers, monitor and vaccine poultry flocks, and closely monitor and assess any outbreaks. The World Health Organization has an extensive global monitoring system to sequence flu isolates coming from humans and poultry and to track any novel strains that could develop into a pandemic strain. Generally speaking, public health workers worldwide recognize the significant threat that could be posed by pandemic influenza, and prevention is the easiest and most well-funded protection against such a scenario.

As a side note, get your yearly flu shot! You can be part of the solution!