Bird Flu Threat
Charley Reese recently posted this about Avian Bird Flu.
Seems Charley wants us to stick our heads in the sand. Don't worry be happy.
It is not as if the most recent pandemics have not been flu pandemics. It is not as if, due to jet transportation, we are even now more of a global village then back then... Don't worry be happy.
In some ways I agree with Charley. Mankind has more to fear from Global Warming then we have to fear from Avian Flu. After all, mankind will survive Avian Flu. You or I might not survive, but mankind will. Half of us might die, but the other half will develop immunity. Problem solved.
But do half of us have to die? We are not talking about vague threats here, we are talking about the flu. Mankind's history is full of flu pandemics that killed many of us. Can we take steps that will limit just how many of us must die this time? Mankind will survive no matter what the outcome. But what about me? What about you? What about your wife and kids?
The present Avian Flu epidemic is irreversible. It has spread so far amongst wild birds that we can not stop it. It only takes one small mutation to threaten us.
But, as Charley might, let us call this threat into perspective. We are faced with a "maybe" that might kill half of us. On the other hand we face Global Warming that threatens all of us. It threatens all of us just not in our lifetime. Which global threat should we be most be consumed by? I guess that depends on just how selfish you are.
When the Avian Flu mutates and starts impacting us we will panic. But when Global Warming threatens future generations we will shrug our shoulders. Pitiful beasts we humans are.
Seems Charley wants us to stick our heads in the sand. Don't worry be happy.
It is not as if the most recent pandemics have not been flu pandemics. It is not as if, due to jet transportation, we are even now more of a global village then back then... Don't worry be happy.
In some ways I agree with Charley. Mankind has more to fear from Global Warming then we have to fear from Avian Flu. After all, mankind will survive Avian Flu. You or I might not survive, but mankind will. Half of us might die, but the other half will develop immunity. Problem solved.
But do half of us have to die? We are not talking about vague threats here, we are talking about the flu. Mankind's history is full of flu pandemics that killed many of us. Can we take steps that will limit just how many of us must die this time? Mankind will survive no matter what the outcome. But what about me? What about you? What about your wife and kids?
The present Avian Flu epidemic is irreversible. It has spread so far amongst wild birds that we can not stop it. It only takes one small mutation to threaten us.
But, as Charley might, let us call this threat into perspective. We are faced with a "maybe" that might kill half of us. On the other hand we face Global Warming that threatens all of us. It threatens all of us just not in our lifetime. Which global threat should we be most be consumed by? I guess that depends on just how selfish you are.
When the Avian Flu mutates and starts impacting us we will panic. But when Global Warming threatens future generations we will shrug our shoulders. Pitiful beasts we humans are.
posted by Little David at 10/22/2005 11:36:00 AM
2 Comments:
David,
It is an exaggeration to expect the bird flu to kill half of us. The 1918 pandemic of influenza only killed about 50-70 million worldwide - unless you expect the brid flu to turn into something way more threatening it should not be expected to kill half the population. Not by a wide margin - given how much more advanced various public health protections of today are as compared to 1918.
Boris.
Boris,
I am only going by the mortality rate from those humans who have contracted it. Seems to me that more then half have died. Is it a certainty that when (or should I say if) the disease mutates into something more communicable amongst humans it will retain this mortality rate? Nope. But it certainly is within the realm of possibility.
I am thinking about posting a new article under this subject. I have been giving the matter some thought and there have been some further developements.
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