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We track the bird flu because there are infectious disease experts who think it, or a strain much like it, may cause the next influenza pandemic. Pandemics go in cycles, and in an historical sense, we are overdue for one. In addition, physicians are worried about the fact that drug-resistant infections are showing up much more often in the past. That leaves them with fewer weapons in their pharmaceutical arsenal.

But there is good news. Surveillance techniques are far superior to what was available in the past. Public health officials get real-time reports, enabling them to assess outbreaks to see if there are patterns. Doctors around the world can talk online. Rapid action likely can contain a strain which has pandemic potential although there is no assurance of that.

Quarantine works because one person cannot give it to another or, at least, only to people who share their homes.

This development is not anything to panic over. It is something to watch.

Don’t worry. Take action. Equip yourself for a blizzard times four. The absolute worst-case estimate for quarantine is four weeks. Add a little to your supplies each week. You will be able to stay in place for any reason that comes up.

A tip: Few people store enough water because it is so cumbersome. If you drink soft drinks out of plastic bottles, rinse those out and make them your storm water bottles.  It also will be easier to assess if you have enough when you are looking at normal-sized bottles rather than huge containers. In any disaster, natural or man-made, water supplies come before food. It is essential to life. Make your water supply your first priority.

Then let the CDC and WHO worry about bird flu.

Reuters

Source: Reuters, January 25, 2009