Posted on 12/15/2008 9:14:02 PM PST by null and void
“it is a superb example of a widespread pulmonary disease in a modern industrial society.”
From an epidemological point of view, this is a gift, a highly unpleasant but far less dangerous dress rehearsal to a horrific and deadly epidemic, taking place in what is a huge absence of vital information. We face a terrible enemy, and yet we know very little about how it would attack us.
As such, knowledge gained from this could save millions of lives, where right now, much of what we know is from epidemics a century old, with little or no relevance to today’s society.
In 1966, this kind of information was so critical that the CIA even conducted covert experiments with harmless bacteria in the New York subway system. What they learned was pitifully little compared to what we needed to know if faced off against a natural or man made biological disaster. We also knew then that it was only a matter of time before we had no choice.
Pulmonary contagious diseases are terribly hard to figure out. Just in the last year or two we have discovered essential facts about transmission and spread.
For example, optimal spread of (normal) influenza through the air is at 40F and low humidity. Higher temperatures and humidity strongly reduce spread through the air.
But from that point, hand contact and physical contamination take over, so much so that if, when in public, hand sanitizer is used six times a day, chances of catching (normal) influenza drop by 60-80%
U of Michigan conducted a test last year of issuing masks and hand sanitizer to students living in close proximity still reduced (normal) influenza rates by 50%.
And I put this all in perspective of the world facing off against what is by far the deadliest threat short of global thermonuclear war. An extraordinarily deadly disease, Avian influenza, which is anything but a normal influenza. It is murderous.
Norwalk virus is nothing compared to Avian flu, but in many ways it behaves like Avian flu in its spread. It easily overwhelms the British health care system, which during an Avian flu epidemic will be reduced to utterly impotent.
A single chest X-Ray will determine who will live and who will die, once they are infected. Many more who could have lived will die because of a perpetual shortage of ventilators, essential to people with lung damage.
Yes, Norwalk virus is unpleasant and foul. But for the first time, it is at least giving us some vague notion of what we are up against. If it was Avian flu, 60%+ of those who are now suffering from Norwalk would have died.
This is why Norwalk is a gift. If we learn from it, and if we act on that knowledge before it is too late.
Congratulations on the birthday, hope it was fun! Thanks so much and hope you have a great Christmas -
Is it influenza?
Your answer can be found in the first paragraph of the article.
Thank you very much for explaining this. In order to understand the full impact of your explanation, I did need to look up some definitions. I now understand much more, and I agree with you that, while a pain, Norwalk is a gift, a precursor. An omen, if you will.
Thanks for the ping.
Ping.
Good heavens! Pray like never before!
Double down on the hand sanitizer!
Zinc, got it. I will get some ASAP.
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