I have been worried about H5N1 flu since the beginning of this year. If it ever gains the ability to transmit between humans effectively, a millions of people could die.
One of the main things that is seen as a bulwark against a pandemic is the anti-viral Tamiflu. Governments around the world, including our own, are buying as much as they can.
This raises two concerns with me...
I have been worried about H5N1 flu since the beginning of this year. If it ever gains the ability to transmit between humans effectively, a millions of people could die.
One of the main things that is seen as a bulwark against a pandemic is the anti-viral Tamiflu. Governments around the world, including our own, are buying as much as they can.
This raises two concerns with me:
First, since most of the limited supply of Tamiflu is being purchased by governments, it will become more difficult/expensive for people to obtain it themselves.
Normally I wouldn't have much of a problem with this, but given the Bush administration's track record with serious disasters I now have a second concern:
Who is going to give out all that Tamiflu when/if the pandemic hits? Who is going to get it? If Katrina is any indication, we are pretty much on our own.
The folks in the red states might fare better though. Call me paranoid, but letting people in New York and California die while showering Texas with anti-virals doesn't seem far-fetched anymore.