How does Peacenik unwind when he's not tracking political corruption, fiscal incompetence, peak oil, haywire weather, wars, economic collapse and the travails of the Leafs.. Peacenik likes to stay on top of the coming bird flu pandemic.
In case you're not up to speed, the H5N1 virus is a virus that is killing birds all over the world, but not yet in Canada. Humans who are in close contact with infected birds also are getting the H5N1 virus, particularly in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. Some are dying from it. The fear is that when the virus mutates and there is effective human-to-human transmission a pandemic may be unleashed. To date there has been some human-to-human transmission, but it has remained contained.
Governments, corporations and NGO's are all monitoring and making recommendations on how to prepare for a possible pandemic. People who attend presentations on the coming pandemic invariably are shocked by what they learn. Governments and businesses are stockpiling Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug that lessens the effect of the H5N1 virus, but does not provide immunity.
Why should you be concerned? When there is a pandemic, there is a possibility of societal collapse. Kids don't go to school. People don't go to work. Food stops being delivered to the grocery store. Hydro plants stop being maintained. Water plants stop being maintained. People die faster than they can be buried. The police stay home. Read John Barry's "The Great Influenza" for a good history about the Spanish flu, the last great pandemic.
But you can make up your own mind. Should you be prepping? Should you have some Tamiflu? Should you be worried? Check out some of these links. It's hard to stay in a state of heightened concern forever. Peacenik was more concerned about and prepared for birdflu three years ago. Has Peacenik let his guard down? Or is birdflu one of those over-hyped doomsday scenarios that never happens? Why does Peacenik have cartons of Kraft dinner in his closet?
An excellent website for tracking birdflu.
This is a nice science fiction like read about life in a pandemic in Kingston, Ontario.
The canadian goverment information site.
A good general site for pandemic preparedness.
The World Health Organization.
Check out Dr. Grattan Woodson's "Preparing for the coming Influenza Pandemic". It tells you what medicine you would need in a pandemic.
In case you're not up to speed, the H5N1 virus is a virus that is killing birds all over the world, but not yet in Canada. Humans who are in close contact with infected birds also are getting the H5N1 virus, particularly in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. Some are dying from it. The fear is that when the virus mutates and there is effective human-to-human transmission a pandemic may be unleashed. To date there has been some human-to-human transmission, but it has remained contained.
Governments, corporations and NGO's are all monitoring and making recommendations on how to prepare for a possible pandemic. People who attend presentations on the coming pandemic invariably are shocked by what they learn. Governments and businesses are stockpiling Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug that lessens the effect of the H5N1 virus, but does not provide immunity.
Why should you be concerned? When there is a pandemic, there is a possibility of societal collapse. Kids don't go to school. People don't go to work. Food stops being delivered to the grocery store. Hydro plants stop being maintained. Water plants stop being maintained. People die faster than they can be buried. The police stay home. Read John Barry's "The Great Influenza" for a good history about the Spanish flu, the last great pandemic.
But you can make up your own mind. Should you be prepping? Should you have some Tamiflu? Should you be worried? Check out some of these links. It's hard to stay in a state of heightened concern forever. Peacenik was more concerned about and prepared for birdflu three years ago. Has Peacenik let his guard down? Or is birdflu one of those over-hyped doomsday scenarios that never happens? Why does Peacenik have cartons of Kraft dinner in his closet?
An excellent website for tracking birdflu.
This is a nice science fiction like read about life in a pandemic in Kingston, Ontario.
The canadian goverment information site.
A good general site for pandemic preparedness.
The World Health Organization.
Check out Dr. Grattan Woodson's "Preparing for the coming Influenza Pandemic". It tells you what medicine you would need in a pandemic.
