There was panic in Scotland, an estimated 45,000 masks purchased within days after the first reports of a possible pandemic and appeals for anyone with flu-like symptoms would be arrested. This was, however, three years ago, while the coming plague was SARS infection, we were told can sweep the world as it is evident from China and Viet Nam. There, it's true, several hundred people eventually died; the toll in England and Scotland, was zero.
If we were here first. When we read food contingency plans to address deficiencies, closing the school to reduce the number of deaths among children probably and contingency plans, still darkens for mass graves up to 320 000 people could die of bird flu, we all need to pinch ourselves and don't forget the previous waves of panic inflamed media. A dead Swan had a farewell.
I speak a hardened panicker, although an incompetent and lazy. Myocardial scalp reporting on some plague on how is a feeling that I know only too well. When we learned to accumulate water-I don't remember for enough because-I took three litres bottles and decides that no more would have been too heavy to carry. Dusty three cans of beans baked in the closet probably qualify, emergency supplies that we don't give up eating beef for a period of time, unless someone else is cooking and seemed rude to say no.
All health recent panic, the most serious is without doubt the ESB. This is a patch over the years the Territories later, a rural disaster that is fair and. Science, suggesting that the disease can be transmitted to humans was strong, and indeed new variant 155 people killed in the United Kingdom, although the record year for death (28) in 2000 and so far this year there was only two. This is horrible, but is much less terrible that death estimates that we have heard, then, until a "time bomb" of 130,000 fatal infection of the brain.
The Government was under pressure terrible health-panickers, on one side and farmers upset by another, and he did send conflicting messages for a period of time. However, the truth about BSE and Sars is probably also the truth about the flu. Is public, although the sanitary ladies and authoritarian, don't work. The ban on beef bones, changes in policy of animal feed, destruction of infected cattle and public warnings have prevented hundreds of thousands of horrible deaths, we were told the face facing the United Kingdom. Similarly, distributed and restricted movement of quarantine precautions against SARS stopped that spread beyond from the East.
And then, today as yesterday, the first rule is to try to follow the science. He was never the case that all eat beef was risky. Was never the case that a particular threat to the health of British citizens; Chinese or Vietnamese and-until now-there is no evidence of avian influenza, passing by a man. Human cases have been reported in nine countries (Egypt Thailand Viet Nam, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Turkey, Iraq, Azerbaijan) and 109 deaths. But it seems that they all lived or worked with infected birds. If the virus mutates, we too could consider a terrible problem-so quiet contingency prepared by the Government and then loss with alarming luridly headlines are plain common sense. A plan is not a scourge, but most of us know. Unless you happen to a Swan germanica gregarious or spend your working day on a bird sanctuary, there is no need to panic.
Once again, most of us know this. We have a rough idea that recent alarms of disease are in no way AIDS catastrophe which caused 3.1 million deaths worldwide, last and reduced year average in all parts of life in sub-Saharan Africa. Another great assassin worldwide is not a disease but automotive – 1.2 million people killed each year in traffic crashes around 3,000 of them in the United Kingdom.
So why are we if obsessed by bird flu, that time is frankly marginal? Because these villages Fife long, dark, occupied the helicopters of the BBC, the scare stories about the lack of preparation of the distribuzione Government Relations ("families might have to wait for up to four weeks to bury their dead")? The answer is simply that everyone knows that the virus could mutate, as he did in bird populations in the past, Governments have to take seriously the preparations. And there are the usual media loading.
Panic also sound plays other fears, political and social. BSE added with a general concern that modern agriculture dangerously played with nature. Somehow, we get our food supermarket cheap just punishment. In fact, using bovine remains in livestock feeding puree, imposed a form of cannibalism and unnatural, sickening prove dangerous.
Sars and bird flu play another fear, a great mass of mankind in China and Asia is generally-a new world that is poor and dynamic and coming our way of pullulating: If we get their shoes fit the market and their global warming, have with their chickens.
The word "pandemic" expresses a sentiment that in a world of airline cheap mass and too many people, the kind of thing that is likely to occur. Never forget that geese spend control immigration made here. Regardless of whether great Spanish flu of 1918-1919 pandemic that killed approximately 8.5 million people, most of the first world war took place without a comprehensive and airline Chinese immigration or many readers. These are diseases of the world without borders.
Why is it so important to keep a sense of proportion. You just keep an eye on the progress of bird flu time and expect a Government properly prepared for the storage of vaccines, quarantining infected areas and we are aware. You should always be a bit sceptical about the preparation of politicians.
But we must show some confidence in the public health authorities and scientists to inform him. Whitehall BSE debut, experience of Sars and now, early warning for avian influenza, it's strange that the Government did not take seriously the danger of a pandemic. Politicians can be blamed for many, but hardly a viral mutation. Get very difficult, but this time, seem to be more fair. Step secure? Masks for flu, apparently, are a £ 1.48 acquire additional VAT.
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