Bird flu – A real threat?

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting quite worried about this bird flu.
In the last few days the news have been reporting on how different countries are preparing for a world wide pandemic.

I read that the German health organisation is talking about perhaps 150 000 dead in Germany alone. The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare says the worst chase scenario is that half of the population would get sick, they are recommending that the hospitals make 6000 extra hospital beds ready for an pandemic, also that the storage for anti-virus medicine is expanded (I have read that doctors are grabbing the stuff for their family!). They are also looking into a sort of prioritising system which will select which people will get an vaccine when one becomes available (at best, a few months after the outbreak), only a few countries make their own vaccine these days.

WHO is saying its only a matter of time before the virus mutates and has the ability to spread from human to human, right now it mostly spreads from bird to man, not man to man.

The death rate in Vietnam is about 60-70%, it has taken about 50 lives so far.

What do you think? Is it “overhyped”, or are we soon to be doomed?

[GmanJoe]

I hope Michael Moore gets it.

[videoholic]

Originally posted by fastson
German health organisation is talking about perhaps 150 000 dead in Germany alone.  

Yeah, but that\'s Europe.  Hello.  I\'m in North America.  No USA no care

[clips]

Originally posted by videoholic
Yeah, but that\'s Europe.  Hello.  I\'m in North America.  No USA no care

yea we have to worry about that newly found strand of the HIV super virus....found in some guy in new york...it\'s been stated that this virus is immune to all current vaccines and medication normally used for the regular virus.....

^^^it was actually two guys in New York, if you know what I mean.

Do we have any drunkards here in New York?

Originally posted by videoholic
Yeah, but that\'s Europe.  Hello.  I\'m in North America.  No USA no care

Can anyone say what kind of preparation work is going on in the US?
Arming nukes to take out South-East Asia once the virus has mutated or what (a question that has appeared in my dirty mind. Take out Vietnam to save the world for the new black death?) ?

The super HIV is interesting, I wonder if I am part of the 16% of the Scandinavian population who is immune against AIDS?

About the prioritization system they are talking about, these are the people who will receive vaccine if there would be an outbreak.

People who work for the public transportation system.
Garbage collecting men ( ) , people who are employed in the water and power supply industry.
Nurses, doctors and other medical staff.
Fire-fighters.
Policemen.
Military.
People who are employed for the judicial system.
Sick people, especially those who are vulnerable towards high fever and influenza, for example old people.
People employed by the county council.
Top politicians, government, members of the Riksdag/Parliament, local politicians.