| "An influenza pandemic of even moderate
| |
| | particles can travel across a room at 600
|
| impact will result in the biggest single
| |
| | miles per hour. If the person sneezing
|
| human disaster ever - far greater than
| |
| | has the flu, everything in that room is
|
| AIDS, 9/11, all wars in the 20th century
| |
| | covered with flu virus. And when you
|
| and the recent tsunami combined. It has
| |
| | touch anything, the virus is transmitted
|
| the potential to redirect world history
| |
| | to your hand. Eventually it will be
|
| as the Black Death redirected European
| |
| | transmitted to your mouth. Your only
|
| history in the 14th century."
| |
| | protection is to wash your hands, well
|
| -- Michael T. Osterholm, Director, Center
| |
| | and often. Each washing should involve
|
| for Infectious Disease Research and
| |
| | vigorous scrubbing with soap for at least
|
| Policy at the University of Minnesota
| |
| | 20 seconds.
|
| A new killer flu virus is on its way.
| |
| | 6. Stock up on Food & Water. Supermarkets
|
| Ducks and geese carrying this virus are
| |
| | only have enough food for about a week or
|
| now winging their way across the globe,
| |
| | less. It's critical that you stock up on
|
| spreading the disease wherever they go.
| |
| | enough food to last you for the duration
|
| Started in Asia, it has now spread to
| |
| | which could be 3-4 months.
|
| Europe. Soon it will be in North and
| |
| | 7. Buy Enough Anti-Viral Medication for
|
| South America.
| |
| | Every Member of your Family. Currently
|
| So far it has only killed a few dozen
| |
| | there are two drugs that can help
|
| humans. It is, after all, a virus that's
| |
| | mitigate the effects of the avian flu
|
| passed from bird to bird. Or from bird to
| |
| | virus. One is called oseltamivir, or
|
| animals. So far it can't be transmitted
| |
| | Tamiflu. It comes in a tablet form. The
|
| from human to human. But flu viruses are
| |
| | other is zanamivir, or Relenza, which is
|
| crafty. They have the ability to change.
| |
| | inhaled. You will need a prescription for
|
| This is what happened in 1918 when the
| |
| | either of these drugs. They should be
|
| Spanish Flu Pandemic swept over a war
| |
| | taken within 2 days of the onset of
|
| weary planet killing 50 - 100 million
| |
| | symptoms and taken twice a day for 5
|
| people - far more than were killed in the
| |
| | days. These drugs are in very short
|
| war.
| |
| | supply, especially Tamiflu which is
|
| This time it will be much worse. After
| |
| | considered the drug of first choice. You
|
| all, we now have 4 times the number of
| |
| | should attempt to secure enough for your
|
| people living on the planet. And most of
| |
| | family as soon as possible, since once a
|
| them live in cities. Large, crowded
| |
| | pandemic hits they will be impossible to
|
| cities. The five largest cities in the
| |
| | obtain. Currently you should be able to
|
| world have over 100 million people living
| |
| | buy them at your drug store, or you can
|
| in them. A killer virus that can be
| |
| | order them online.
|
| passed from human to human, let loose in
| |
| | 8. Stock up on Face Masks. You will need
|
| our major cities where people are living
| |
| | to wear these when you absolutely have to
|
| elbow to elbow, would have a catastrophic
| |
| | come into close contact with others. It's
|
| effect.
| |
| | likely that any public businesses or
|
| And consider this...back in 1918 it was a
| |
| | government offices that remain open will
|
| much bigger world. It took weeks to get
| |
| | make it mandatory that you wear a mask
|
| from one side of the world to the other.
| |
| | before entering. Make sure that your mask
|
| It took days to get from one side of the
| |
| | has a rating of N100. The more common N95
|
| continent to the next. Today it takes
| |
| | masks will not give you enough
|
| hours. Last year more than 46 million
| |
| | protection.
|
| international visitors came to the United
| |
| | There is one mask -- the NanoMask(R) --
|
| States. If only one infected visitor
| |
| | which not only blocks the H5N1 virus, but
|
| passes on the virus to 2 others, who pass
| |
| | kills it as well.
|
| it on to 2 others, and so on, by the end
| |
| | 9. Exercise. According to the American
|
| of a month everyone in the US could be
| |
| | Council on Exercise, research has shown
|
| infected.
| |
| | that moderate exercise (such as brisk
|
| I don't even want to consider the
| |
| | walking) brings about measurable changes
|
| implications if this idea ever occurs to
| |
| | in the immune system, sending white blood
|
| muslim terrorists who are only too happy
| |
| | cells zipping around the body to find
|
| to blow themselves to bits in order to
| |
| | intruders and kill them. But after a few
|
| take out a few infidels.
| |
| | hours, the immune system returns to
|
| So what can we do?
| |
| | normal so it's best to exercise
|
| Fortunately it's not all doom and gloom.
| |
| | regularly.
|
| There are some very specific steps you
| |
| | 10. Spread the Word. Regardless of how
|
| can take to minimize the dangers and
| |
| | much coverage the avian threat is
|
| protect yourself and your loved ones.
| |
| | receiving in the media, most people are
|
| 1. Draw up a Plan. Outline the steps you
| |
| | reluctant to act. Perhaps if they don't
|
| and your family need to take, both
| |
| | acknowledge the danger they think it will
|
| pre-pandemic and during. Identify
| |
| | somehow go away. Or maybe they think the
|
| responsibilities for each family member.
| |
| | government will look after the situation.
|
| Make lists of supplies required. Find
| |
| | Desperate, panic stricken people are
|
| appropriate sources. Develop a realistic
| |
| | arguably even more dangerous than the
|
| timeline. By establishing a plan now, you
| |
| | virus. The more people surrounding you
|
| will avoid becoming a victim of the panic
| |
| | who are prepared for the pandemic, the
|
| that will grip the general population,
| |
| | safer you will be. You'll be secure in
|
| resulting in civil chaos and pandemonium.
| |
| | the knowledge that your neighbors won't
|
| 2. Keep Informed. If and when the virus
| |
| | be eyeing your resources. So please
|
| mutates so that it is being spread from
| |
| | spread the word. And don't give up, even
|
| human to human, it is likely to start in
| |
| | though you may feel like the voice in the
|
| Southeast Asia. Pay attention to the
| |
| | wilderness. Eventually, if they hear it
|
| news. When you hear that this has taken
| |
| | often enough, some people will take
|
| place, it's time to act. We might only
| |
| | notice. And then they will also spread
|
| have weeks before the pandemic reaches
| |
| | the word. And in this way we'll all be a
|
| North America, but with international
| |
| | little safer.
|
| travel so fast and easy it could be much
| |
| | "Up to one billion people could die
|
| sooner. Sign up for free newsletter
| |
| | around the whole world in six months....
|
| notifications at .
| |
| | We are half a step away from a worldwide
|
| 3. Prepare Your Child for Home Schooling.
| |
| | pandemic catastrophe." Dmitry K. Lvov,
|
| Most flu outbreaks get their start at
| |
| | Director, D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of
|
| schools. You can be certain that the
| |
| | Virology, Russian Academy of Medical
|
| schools will be closed. And if they're
| |
| | Sciences.
|
| not, you should give very serious thought
| |
| | Whether or not it will happen this year,
|
| to keeping your children at home.
| |
| | and whether or not it will be as
|
| 4. Minimize Contact with Others. The H5N1
| |
| | catastrophic as many virologists are
|
| avian flu virus can be transmitted for
| |
| | predicting, one thing is clear: There
|
| two days before a person is showing any
| |
| | WILL be a pandemic of unimaginable
|
| symptoms and for a week after symptoms
| |
| | proportions some time soon.
|
| have disappeared. You never know who
| |
| | We can either bury our heads in the sand
|
| isn't and who might be infected. If
| |
| | and hope it won't happen, or we can begin
|
| possible you should stay home. Every time
| |
| | taking immediate steps to ensure that in
|
| you go into an area where there are
| |
| | a worst case scenario, we've given
|
| people you are at risk.
| |
| | ourselves and our loved ones the best
|
| 5. Wash Your Hands Often. Sneeze
| |
| | possible chance for survival.
|
