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"Perhaps they communicate by changing colour? Like those sea creatures .."
"Lobsters?"
"Really? I didn't know they did that."
"Oh yes, red means help!"
Or more likely it'll mutate into multiple strains; some relatively harmless and some with the potential to cause a pandemic like the 1918 Spanish flu. That strain killed 30-40 million people worldwide and about 675,000 in the US alone.
Our defences agains a flu pandemic are not much better now than they were in 1918, save for some antiviral drugs that are so expensive and of such low production volume as to be useless in a pandemic.
eventually the health agencies started quaranteening those infected
uninfected people started wearing masks
uninfected people stopped going out and interacting with others
those who had it and survived (most) had created antibodies, which reduced the re-infection rate and made them less likely to be carriers.
With these occurances the transmission rate dropped enough to stop the pandemic. Also helpful was that Spanish flu was not a particularly fast mutator.
The problem with a fast mutator is that you can get multiple strains going, all developing at different times, which can extend the timeline.
Making matters worse as regards SARS:
the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have just vertified that the mortality rate for SARS is now higher than that of the 1918 pandemic.
At least we can thank the Chinese for their openess and willingness to inform the rest of the world of this outbrake. Without them and their accurate reporting of infections etc, the disease would have spread much further. After hearing about their incompetance all I could do was shake my head in disbelieve . Luckilly for us in the UK, an expert has reported that the chances of mass infections are slight. Lets hope he's not talking out of his arse
Regards MD
Interests include:
Computing, Reading, Pubs, Restuarants, Pubs, Curries, More Pubs and more Curries
Originally posted by Dr Mordrid Making matters worse as regards SARS:
the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have just vertified that the mortality rate for SARS is now higher than that of the 1918 pandemic.
Well our 'plus' today is, that there are better supporting therapies than 1918 (virostatics etc.). The hygienic conditions in many of our countries are better, too. The spanish one came directly after world war I - really no good moment. Well and people, medical docs. and hospital employees are better informed, too.
The minus is the much air traffic. So the trick will be to recognize all diseased persons as early as possible.
Well, we'll see. At least it's no good news again.
ps. Some days ago they developed a quick test on SARS not far away from my home. It will be produced and spread all over the world for free.
Don't bet the worlds safety on Chinese anything....it was their public health departments screwing around that let it get out of control in the first place.
Fortunately that may be getting fixed....but I wouldn't depend on teas & herbs for anti-viral protection. It's more complex than that.
Dr. Mordrid
Dr. Mordrid ---------------------------- An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.
I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps
Originally posted by Dr Mordrid Don't bet the worlds safety on Chinese anything....it was their public health departments screwing around that let it get out of control in the first place.
Fortunately that may be getting fixed....but I wouldn't depend on teas & herbs for anti-viral protection. It's more complex than that.
Dr. Mordrid
Like Chrono, I'm wondering whether you have tried them (the REAL thing, not from some immigrants who claim to be a doctor) too.
I myself, apparently, have been using them for many years (but not exclusively) and I think they are wonderful for what they are.
I'm not saying herbs would have any effects on SARS, but I know one person using it against cancer and have great success.
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Running two Dell 2005FPW 20" Widescreen LCD
And of course, Matrox Parhelia | My Matrox histroy: Mill-I, Mill-II, Mystique, G400, Parhelia
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