covertress: A/H1N1 Flu: "The Sky is Falling!"

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

A/H1N1 Flu: "The Sky is Falling!"

What a difference two weeks makes...

May 5: "We are cautiously optimistic that this particular strain will not be more severe than a normal seasonal flu outbreak," Janet Napolitano said.

May 18: CDC officials now say around 100,000 people are likely infected with the new flu strain in the United States and that the 5,123 confirmed and probable cases and six deaths in the United States are "the tip of the iceberg."

[U.S. population 307,212,123 / 100,000 H1N1A cases = 1 in 3,072 are already infected.]

Imagine... if only 20% of the population falls sick... that equates to 1 in 5 truckers who will no longer be moving America's on-demand items. More than 1 in 5 businesses will close, many permanently. Keeping in mind that most grocery stores only stock enough food to sustain the local population for 3-4 days, now is the time to finish putting away a 6-month supply of non-perishable goods.

To those who think I sound like Chicken Little and are not overly concerned and don't already have a supply of food and water on hand I say... "Go shopping anyway! Your purchases will stimulate your local economy -- and provide others the opportunity to prepare."

And now, a message released today by the Dept. of Health and Human Services, featuring Acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson.