Comments

Tom - Since you mentioned this on your site, I have noticed that many networks have been covering this story. Last night, CNN covered it on Paula's show and she interviewed a doctor from the CEC and she asked him if he loses sleep over this and he said yes and she said "should we stockpile tamiflu?" and he shook his shoulders and said yes. However, I asked a friend and she told me that you can only take tamiflu (sp) when you have the symptoms of the flu and then it only works if taken in the first 24 to 48 hours - if you take it and you don't have the flu - you are in trouble..talk about anxiety..how do you know the difference between regular flu bug and bird flu..how do you get it from the birds. We live on an island that is a bird migration station for the birds from Canada who fly south...we have thousands of birds and that is why West Nile Virus hit us pretty hard. President Bush said yesterday that he wants to pass legislation that allows the military to be activited in a crisis like the bird flu pandemic..if it should happen . I thought to myself, I can see the military surrounding this island and not letting anyone on or off because someone has the bird flu .. also they want to make sure that first responders (military and doctors and nurses) get enough of tamiflu to protect them first. It sounds like a movie, doesn't it. The scope of this possibility is so intense that the only thing left to do is keep in contact with God or whatever higher power you believe in and be thankful for the simpliest things like seeing in technicolor, hearing the words I love you, saying the words I love you, dressing yourself, taking walks in beautiful environments, tasting fabulous food, using your imagination, creating. And Life goes on. Thanks Tom for always being on top of everything and for inspiring me in countless ways in business. Good luck on your schedule.

Posted by s. guglielmi at October 5, 2005 10:54 AM

Quite right too. The implications are frankly terrifying. New Orleans was a grim reminder that the veneer of civilisation is very thin - I am very afraid that once cases start to increase there will widespead panic and breakdown of law ands order.
I have heard that here in the UK public sector bodies (local government, police, health service etc) have been directed not to publish details of emergency plans. I will be asking for details under Freedom of Information legislation (weaker here than in US) to see what the response is, and encourage others to do likewise.

Posted by Michael from UK at October 5, 2005 10:56 AM

You are right to keep talking Tom - I came across the 7 P's principle from a family care giver I worked with for many years in my health care career. His version was "Purposeful Persistent Planning Prevents Piss (excuse swearing his word not mine - although I love it too :-)) Poor Performance." Even it is not as bad as the predictions all governments need to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 6, 2005 3:38 AM

Ten years ago, in my neck of the woods (literally) we were all going to be killed by deer ticks who spread lyme disease. Three years ago it was mosquitos and West Nile Virus. Not to mention doomsday predictions now and then for other "killer" problems ranging from potential ebola outbreaks to the northward migration of the killer bees. We're still here and civilization hasn't (quite) collapsed yet.

I am willing to bet the bird flu fear is overblown by a factor of about 500. Maybe that's OK because you have to be Chicken Little to get people to take action sometimes.

If I'm wrong and we all die, you can look me up in heaven and say, "I told you so."

Posted by Mike at October 6, 2005 6:27 AM

Check out Daniel W. Drezner's blog posting today (it's on this site's blog roll).

Harry Reid; Barack Obama; and Edward M. Kennedy are on the case. I feel MUCH better now...

Posted by Mike at October 6, 2005 8:31 AM

Nice blog.I like this.
Nick
http://www.yahoo.com

Posted by Nick at October 7, 2005 4:30 AM

nick, significance of link to yahoo? (twice.)?

Posted by Erik Hansen at October 7, 2005 9:55 AM

Interesting point Mike - also the world was going to meltdown at Y2K and after 9/11 the world would experience one 9/11 Islam terror act after another - including nuclear ...

Posted by Sean at October 7, 2005 10:17 AM