Edvard Munch (1863-1944). Self-Portrait After the Spanish Flu
Okay, so is anyone else totally FREAKED out about this avian bird flu stuff?
Our local city council got an update last night from the county health folks about it. Okay, I was bored and I was watching it on the cable channel. I admit it. I watch channel 12 and I'm a news junkie.
Then I spent way too much time on the CDC web site today and I'm ready to go out and buy face masks and stock up on everything I could possibly need for months just to avoid contact with any other humans. Or find a way to transport me and my family to solitary confinement in the desert, away from germs.
In case you haven't heard already - this avian flu could be the next flu pandemic, meaning it could be a global outbreak that kills a lot of people. The last time something like this happened, "La Gripe" killed more than 500,000 people in the United States, and up to 50 million people may have died worldwide. According to the CDC, many people died within the first few days after infection. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults. (Aack, I'm one of those!)
The ubiquitous "they" are saying that it's a question of when, not if, this avian flu will morph into something we humans can pass among ourselves.
I don't think anyone has a clue how fast this could spread, considering how global our world really is now with transportation making it easy to import germs. I also don't think we have a clue how this might change our everyday lives. Schools will shut down, hospitals will be packed with dying people, people will be wearing masks to go to the grocery store, if there's anything left on the shelves and people dare to go out in public.
I don't think I'm being the least bit pessimistic about the horrors that could come with a pandemic. Look for yourselves.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/
2 comments:
Pretty much just read Drudge on a daily basis. That wacko always has at least one link to a story about avian flu.
Nice job on the dorkiness admission, but I'm still cooler than you because I watch CSPAN (only two or three of course) and wouldn't be caught dead with the county channel on.
Methinks this sounds like a dork-off.
Why are you so freaked about the bird flu? I mean we got influenza (spelled that one real good) from chickens. Its just the same old song and dance only its like a disco remix this time.
I'm too lazy to log in. This is Carl
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