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October 23, 2005
The Truth About the Bird Flu
Everybody is talking about the bird flu like we're all going to die before Christmas, but I think the whole thing is overhyped. The chances of the bird flu being transmitted from human to human any time this year is really, really, incredibly slim. So you're probably safe this year, and next year Tamiflu production should be ramped up enough that hardly anybody will actually die from it, and the chances that there will be an avian flu outbreak next year is probably pretty slim too.
Of course, there is a chance that the bird flu WILL mutate this winter season, and then we'll all end up sick and/or dead. But there's a chance of just about anything, no matter how implausible.
What if we do end up with an outbreak of "bird flu" or H5N1. What can we do to prevent ourselves from getting sick. Here's some advice from me, the guy with the OCD tendencies.
1) Don't eat out. Fast food workers are disgusting. They make your food and handle your money... some of them (especially during slow periods) do both.
2) Don't hang out in enclosed spaces. Like don't take the bus. For one, you're probably trapped in there with 40 people and one of them is gonna be sick. And also if some disgusting person sits next to you, you're stuck... you can't get away from him. (This is good advice even when there isn't a bird flu, because the bus is full of disgusting people... not necessarily sick, just gross.)
3) Don't go to work or school. If things get really bad, and people are dying, do you really want to risk your life just so you can show up for work? Office jobs and classrooms will probably end up doing a lot of things online. I'm not sure what you do when you're the garbageman or the mailperson. I guess those kind of jobs don't involve lots of people in tight spaces, like a classroom, or a cubicle farm, so you're probably better off anyway.
4) Don't spend time with sick people. Unless you live with them, avoid them at all costs. Even if you do live with them, you should probably try to have as little contact as possible. Don't neglect your kids or anything, but you might want to rethink sharing a soda with your avian-infected wife.
What about you... what would you suggest? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Posted by March at October 23, 2005 09:41 PM
Comments
hey, youve kind of made me feel better about it, its true anything could happen at any time and you dont hear them scare mongering the fact the sun might come hurtling towards us at a terrifying speed and burn us all to smoky crisps.
Posted by: Anonymous at October 24, 2005 09:45 AM
Remember last year when everyone went crazy because a) it was supposed to be a horrible year for the flu and b) we didn't have enough flu shots?
Well it turned out that it wasn't such a bad year after all, and it turns out we had plenty of flu shots for those who actually NEEDED them.
Same thing. My favorite thing is when the media gets on the Bush administration for not having enough Tamiflu and the like. What, do we rely on the government for everything? They are trying to get Tamiflu just like every other person on the planet... it's not like we get priority for everything. Surprisingly, there ARE other people in the world.
Posted by: March at October 24, 2005 12:25 PM
Same with SARS.
ZOMG BEWARE!
*rolls eyes*
Posted by: Tim at October 26, 2005 10:05 AM