General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Urgent Warning On New Bird Flu H7N9: Could Pose Global Threat [View all]graham4anything
(11,464 posts)In a way, you are fighting it and it has the same results, IF people are listening to your words.
You don't have to be saying anything like Wakefield, but if people let their guards down-
There is no quick means of having a mass vaccine.
Therefore, one cannot wait, and one has to do all they can EVEN IF 9 out 10 times it ends up being a waste.
Because the 1 times it is real, any wait will cause thousands of deaths.
Because it IS going to happen.
You said something like IF.
Someday it IS. NO ifs about it. Someday there will be a worldwide pandemic again.
Now, maybe with penicillin and pneumonia shots now available, a 1919 won't happen that way.
However, the world age population is young-
maybe older people will have some immunity, so it won't be as fatal worldwide in countries with great health care.
but in countries that do not have great health care, it could be billions and billions dead.
And what if any benefit from priors doesn't help this time?
Then we all are at risk to die and no, its not as vague as an asteroid.
Because there are preventions from asteroids, and time to prepare (it is not beyond the realm that it could be shot down).
Until the day comes where overnight billions of doses could be instantly made(which is impossible) and distributed immediately worldwide) we do need to fear this.
It only takes one person on a plane
Or person X. Witness the AIDS virus.And witness how many decades it took just to control it (and add while Reagan slept for 7 of them).
Then witness the panic that would ensue, and if everyone stays home and under their covers
witness-NO supplies, no stores, no food, no gas, nothing.
Well,Until it happens it can't happen.
It can happen.
(cue in for effect, the day after tomorrow movie, and in the end, the Cheney character begging to be let out of the fence he himself erected to not let people in,
or, cue in Qaddafi in his last five minutes alive hidden in a sewer then taken out.)
There was near panic.
(yes, some of this is a little hyperbole.)