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It seems we are about to be attacked by another flu variant, the so-called "bird flu", which, once it progresses to the bird-to-person-to-person stage, can kill millions of us, on a global basis [no, you can't hide just because you're in Canada] and presently there are only two million doses of vaccine and one manufacturer worldwide.
Why would something like this, with the capability of killing millions, be placed on such a low priority, below Iraq, Afghanistan, and even the billions of no-bid contracts given to contractors to fix New orleans.
This potential pandemic has been on the radar screen for at least two years, yet nothing materially has been done about it, other than plans for various quarantines and burials. Even if half a dozen more rx companies dedicated themselves to producing vaccine at this late date, it would be too little, too late.
Thanks again, George. Another really big ball slips through your hands. You have the power to control things like this, but prefer to wage war. Nice going.

not to worry...his majesty is planning on using the military to quarantine whole states if he has to.look at the magnificent job being done keeping the illegal aliens out.he will snuff out this problem with his usual exprtise and masterful leadership.

by the way..how much payoff money will have to be paid to the FDA officals before the vaccine can be used in the states???? i feel certain that the price the drug companies demand for this miracle will prohibit anyone but the very wealthy from receiving a dose.

Yes.

Your first sentence tells me that you need to stop watching the news so much. This is just one of those things that the media has latched onto to hype as the latest thing to fear (terrorism is losing its spark after 4 years). They have made you certain that "we are about to be attacked" by this unknown scary bug called Avian flu. Scientists know that we are overdue for a pandemic (they happen several times a century). With the increased population of the globe, it could kill over 100 million this time around (or maybe just 5 million). Nothing new there.

While there is a possibility that the avian variety of flu could mutate into a human version, there's also the possibility that one of the other dozens of flu variants could do the same thing (anyone remember swine flu from the 70s?). The possibility of flu pandemics has been around as long as people have been around. The pandemic of 1918 was the last huge one, but many less devastating pandemics have been occuring regularly, both before and after that one. Since the CDC can't accurately predict which flu will circle the globe from year to year, I don't have a lot of faith that they're going to spot the next pandemic coming, years ahead of time.

Pandemics and epidemics are mother nature's way of cleaning house from time to time. Scientists don't really know what flu variant will cause the next one, they're just worried that it might be avian, since it is rather virulent and we are overdue. Chances are very good that by the time the next pandemic gets rolling, it will be too late to stop it (as it always has).

Of course, in the meantime, those evil drug companies are salivating like hungry dogs as they watch average Joe Citizen demand that billions be spent on a particular commodity that will make them rich. A commodity that will likely never be used. The hype is working for them!

We also know that deadly asteroids will someday impact the earth and that one of these days, a big chunk of Hawaii will fall into the ocean and likely cause a killer Tsunami to wipe out a good part of the west coast. Should we spend a few trillion stopping those too?

I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but scientist still do not know enough about genetic mutation to be able to accurately predict stuff like this. Of course, you'll probably never see that on CNN. It has no sizzle!

Wait, you mean we're all gonna die one day?

This puts a serious crimp into my plans.... time for a re-think.

As Frank Zappa once said ; "It can't happen here............."

You're right, I do watch news shows too much. I will stop at once . What the hey, I've already lived my life, the rest of ya can take your chances.