N The first pandemic that took place within the context of a set of International Health Regulations and global governance, which had not been widely tested until the present. N The first pandemic with early diagnostic tests that led to rapid diagnosis but also an early obsession in the media and of policymakers with having reports of the numbers of those infected. N The first pandemic with antivirals available in many countries that led to a hopeful expectation that the pandemic might be containable, leading to the preparation for and implementation of a ''containment phase'' in some places. N The first pandemic in which intensive care was available in many countries to treat critically ill patients, fostering an expectation that everyone could be treated and cured. N The first pandemic with a ''blogosphere'' and other rapid social media messaging tools that challenged conventional public health communication.