Posted on 03/12/2006 5:22:46 AM PST by Lessismore
I've read about "the government" telling people to stock up for longer terms here on FR but not in the general news.
Why are these reports not more common place in the news?
We also didn't have modern medicine and antibiotics. Many of the deaths weren't from the flu itself, but from opportunistic secondary infections. If the same 1918 bug spread today, the death rate would be much lower.
Me too. The situation doesn't seem to be getting any better. When it first appeared in 1997 in Hong Kong, they thought they wiped it out. They were wrong, unfortunately.
How long before we can safely say it was much ado about nothing?
That's a good question. The answer might be, "when we develop a decent vaccine and a way to manufacture it quickly and distribute it widely" - much as we have for other pandemic diseases.
The problem with this disease is, like all influenza viruses, it mutates rapidly so there is no "one size fits all" vaccine we can develop and then forget about like for polio, smallpox or diphtheria. Each new variant must be addressed.
The key, I think, is the development of new 21st century vaccine technologies and their infrastructures. Currently, we are still using early 20th century ones using chicken eggs. Unfortunately, we nearly destroyed the vaccine industry in this country during the Clinton years, so we are starting almost from scratch. Other countries are way ahead of us.
Well..for the birds I guess. How many humans have died? And wasn't the medical community equally certain that the aids virus was going to move into the heterosexual community and kill millions. And wasn't there another certainty that the swine flue was another great pandemic?
Does that mean you are prepared for it if it comes? Or, are you just pooh-poohing the idea because it is a concept that you cannot grasp?
Isn't it better to be prepared and nothing happens than the converse?
I agree with the first part, I just don't think modern medicine is going to be able to overcome modern progress. First, we will not even be able to make a vaccine until the virus mutates.
Which means the first group of people to catch the virus will either die or suffer the symptoms(assuming a vaccine is developed within 17 days), and live. The current Vaccine batch is made for the Vietnam 2004 not the A/Indonesia/2005 strain, which is what is spreading right now.Current statistics suggest that the virus takes 2-8 days to show in the infected person, sometimes up to 17 days.
That means the people infected with the virus will have spread it globally long before it's even noticed. Think airplanes and recirculated air. I have my doubts if it will mutate or not, but I have always believed in "Better safe then sorry".
The 360 million dead worst case I mentioned is based on the fact that with today's medical knowledge, there will be a lot few deaths than people think. This is mostly because our modern knowledge of nutrition has shown that people who eat a good diet and get a decent amount of Vitamins C and E plus antioxidants will have a better chance of surviving the effects of the flu.
---Or, are you just pooh-poohing the idea because it is a concept that you cannot grasp?
Yeah, it's sooo complex.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
This thread provides some insight on this.
I didn't mean it was complex. Some people can't grasp the idea of millions of people dying at the same time.
You're so certain this virus will be the great one, I'm sure you must be stockpiled.
We also have a more technologically advanced medical industry.
I have a solution! Everybody buy a shotgun and 1000 rounds of shells. Start blowing up birds. And watch what you're shooting at.
You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm also thinking sanitation factors.
If you're not prepared to die, you're not prepared to live.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man. pluck them out of My hand"- John 10:28."
Beats me. But it appears the HHS is trying to get the word out in a measured way. Perhaps they are afraid of a panic? There are scattered reports out there. I suppose one could ask the same question about why "Able Danger" isn't big news, or the Swift Boat Vets got short shrift during a National Election?
Here are a few recent articles...
You really are having a hard time grasping this aren't you. By the way, please don't think you know what I am thinking from a few sentences. I am not "so certain" about anything. I just like to be prepared and look out for the future of my family.
Whistling past the graveyard has never been for me.
Articles about it are pretty common in this area..........but of course I live in the middle of a chicken growing region.
Here's one from yesterday:
Backyard poultry farms on front line of flu fight
Many farmers in Delaware don't worry about chickens roaming free -- but the government does
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