A new strain of the killer flu virus is on its way. Ducks and geese carrying the virus are now flying around the world, spreading the disease. It began in Asia and has since spread to Europe and will soon be available in North and South America. If and when the virus mutates and spreads from person to person, it is most likely to begin in Southeast Asia. The H5N1 avian flu virus can be transmitted for two days before symptoms appear and for a week after symptoms have subsided.
There are two drugs available to help mitigate the effects of the avian flu virus. Tamiflu, or oseltamivir, is considered the first-line treatment. You should try to secure enough supplies for your family as soon as possible. The more common N95 masks will not provide adequate protection. People who are desperate and panicked are potentially even more dangerous than the virus.
The more people who are prepared for the pandemic who surround you, the safer you will be. Please help spread the word. Some people will eventually take notice if they hear it frequently enough.
A new strain of the killer flu virus is on its way. Ducks and geese carrying the virus are now flying around the world, spreading the disease wherever they go. It began in Asia and has since spread to Europe. It will soon be available in North and South America.
It has only killed a few dozen people so far. After all, it's a virus that spreads from bird to bird. Alternatively, from bird to animal. So far, it cannot be passed from person to person. However, flu viruses are cunning. They have the capacity to evolve. This is what happened in 1918, when the Spanish Flu Pandemic swept across a war-torn world, killing 50-100 million people - far more than were killed in the war.
This time will be far worse. After all, there are now four times as many people on the planet. And the majority of them live in cities. Cities that are large and crowded. More than 100 million people live in the world's five largest cities. A killer virus that can be passed from person to person, if released in our major cities where people live in close quarters, would have disastrous consequences.
Consider this...
It was a much bigger world in 1918. Traveling from one side of the world to the other took weeks. Traveling from one side of the continent to the other took days. It now takes hours. Over 46 million international visitors visited the United States last year. If just one infected visitor spreads the virus to two others, who then spread it to two more, and so on, by the end of a month, everyone in the United States could be infected.
I don't even want to think about the implications if this idea ever occurs to muslim terrorists who are more than willing to blow themselves up in order to kill a few infidels.
So, what are our options?
Fortunately, it's not all bad news. There are specific steps you can take to reduce the risks and protect yourself and your loved ones.
1. Make a plan. Outline the steps you and your family must take both before and during the pandemic. Determine who is responsible for what in your family. Make a list of the supplies you'll need. Locate appropriate sources. Create a reasonable timetable. By making a plan now, you will avoid becoming a victim of the general public's panic, which will result in civil chaos and pandemonium.
2. Stay Informed. If and when the virus mutates and spreads from person to person, it is most likely to begin in Southeast Asia. Keep an eye on the news. When you learn that this has occurred, it is time to take action. We may only have a few weeks before the pandemic hits North America, but with international travel being so quick and easy, it could happen much sooner.
3. Get Your Child Ready for Home Schooling. The majority of flu outbreaks begin in schools. Schools will, without a doubt, be closed. And if they aren't, you should seriously consider keeping your children at home.
4. Limit your contact with others. The H5N1 avian flu virus can be transmitted for two days before symptoms appear and for a week after symptoms have subsided. You never know who is immune and who is infected. If at all possible, you should stay at home. You are at risk whenever you enter an area where there are people.
5. Wash your hands frequently. Sneeze particles can travel 600 miles per hour across a room. If the person sneezing has the flu, the entire room is infected with the virus. When you touch something, the virus spreads to your hand. It will eventually make its way to your mouth. Your only defense is to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Each washing should include at least 20 seconds of vigorous scrubbing with soap.
6. Gather food and water. Supermarkets only stock enough food for about a week. It is critical that you prepare enough food to last the duration, which could be 3-4 months.
7. Purchase Enough Anti-Viral Medication for Everyone in Your Family. There are currently two drugs available to help mitigate the effects of the avian flu virus. Tamiflu, or oseltamivir, is one of them. It is available as a tablet. The other option is to inhale zanamivir, also known as Relenza. Both of these medications require a prescription. They should be taken twice a day for 5 days, beginning two days after the onset of symptoms. These drugs are in short supply, particularly Tamiflu, which is considered the first-line treatment. You should try to secure enough supplies for your family as soon as possible, because they will be impossible to obtain once a pandemic strikes. You should be able to get them at your local pharmacy or order them online right now.
8. Invest in Face Masks. You must wear these whenever you must come into close contact with others. Any public businesses or government offices that remain open will almost certainly require you to wear a mask before entering. Check that your mask has a N100 rating. The more common N95 masks will not provide adequate protection.
There is one mask, the NanoMask®, that not only blocks but also kills the H5N1 virus.
9. Workout. According to the American Council on Exercise, moderate exercise (such as brisk walking) causes measurable changes in the immune system, sending white blood cells zipping around the body to find and kill intruders. However, the immune system returns to normal after a few hours, so it is best to exercise regularly.
10. Get the word out. Regardless of how much attention the avian threat receives in the media, most people are hesitant to take action. Perhaps they believe that if they do not acknowledge the danger, it will go away. Or perhaps they believe the government will handle the situation.
People who are desperate and panicked are potentially even more dangerous than the virus. The more people who are prepared for the pandemic who surround you, the safer you will be. You'll have peace of mind knowing that your neighbors aren't eyeing your resources. Please help spread the word. And, even if you feel like the voice in the wilderness, don't give up. Some people will eventually take notice if they hear it frequently enough. They will then spread the word as well. And as a result, we'll all be a little safer.
"In six months, up to one billion people could die around the world.... We are half a step away from a worldwide pandemic catastrophe." Dmitry K. Lvov, Director of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences' D.I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology.
Whether or not it happens this year, and whether or not it is as catastrophic as many virologists predict, one thing is certain: a pandemic of unimaginable proportions WILL occur some time soon.
We can either bury our heads in the sand and hope it doesn't happen, or we can take immediate action to ensure that, in the worst-case scenario, we've given ourselves and our loved ones the best chance of survival.
