Urgent Warning On New Bird Flu H7N9: Could Pose Global Threat

[TM99]

99. I may agree with you in principle

that hysteria is unwarranted but educated caution and awareness is necessary.

However, if you start from a place of not even accepting the proper definition of words and denying undeniable facts (the 2009 H1N1 Swine flu was a pandemic) then, no your arguments are lacking in the proper use of reason.

You continue to do this again and again in this thread with the erroneous belief that nothing like the Spanish Flu could happen again. Yet, history shows that to be wrong and modern epidemiological research does as well. 1918, 1957, and 1968 were three flu pandemics last century that together killed millions. Within 6 months, the 1957 Chinese flu had spread through out the entire world killing thousands. When a bird flu mutates to spread from human to human and this combines with the incredible amounts of world travel, there will be millions of deaths UNLESS proper precautions are taken.

In the US, we now argue on websites whether such events even happen. We like to argue that it is all a government conspiracy or perhaps it is just hysteria as you put it. We have millions of idiots, and yes, I mean that in the harshest of terms, who believe that vaccines cause autism and other health problems so they avoid the simplest form of control - a flu vaccine. I have a compromised immune system and even during the 2012/2013 flu season, I wore a mask when I went out. I also washed my hands constantly, avoided crowds, and got my flu vaccine. Americans stare at me like I am crazy wearing a mask. In China, where so many of these viruses originate and mutate, it is simply a normal everyday precaution.

So I must vehemently disagree that this OP was in any shape or form stoking the flames of hysteria. It was a presentation of an article worth noting and should encourage as many as possible to get their flu vaccines, to be aware of a potential threat (even if it is a world away), and to educate themselves on influenza, pandemics, and the general science of epidemiology.