Worried About Avian Flu?

There's a lot of attention being given to the avian flu - more specifically the H5N1 virus - that's out there infecting and killing a lot of birds, and some people, too. Vietnam has just reported its 42nd death from the avian flu. Many are expecting a potential pandemic and comparing it to the one that struck the world back in 1918-19 and killed some 40 million people.

Personally, I'm not much of a chicken (get it? chicken?) when it comes to this bird flu thing. But I think it's a good thing that many health organizations are taking this seriously. Certainly people have contracted the H5N1 virus and have died. Many of these victims are those who work in close contact with poultry to make a living - and catching the flu (I've learned this is actually not an uncommon occupational hazard for these folks). Then there's the folks who don't cook their poultry long enough or not at all.

I once watched a show on the Discover Channel about what our bodies go through when we have food poisoning. It was not very pleasant to watch. The victim in this program had eaten undercooked chicken (many healthy chickens carry salmonella anyway). I've never been fond of pink chicken myself. But after watching that show - trust me - I don't eat undercooked chicken. If it has even the slightest hint of pink, back in the oven it goes.

So far, H5N1 has not proven to be terribly detrimental to mankind. Although it has spread from poultry to human on several occasions since 1997, the dynamic of human-to-human spread has not happened. Once it does, then we should definitely take notice. Perhaps at its first onset, we will still have time to prepare.

Now I'm no doctor, but it has to be noted here that the Spanish Flu of 1918-19 had a lot of help. World War I had just ended. There were a lot of malnourished people in Europe (many farms were not being worked since lots of farmers were making war, not food). The conditions were quite ripe for a virulent strain of influenza to come in and ravage a population whom most already had a weakened immune system. But obviously this was a very deadly strain, too, as many who were strong and healthy were killed by this virus, too.

I don't want to come off as seeming unconcerned. As for myself, I've made reservations for Heaven in advance (or as a good friend of mine says, "I have fire insurance."), so whatever happens to me is in God's hands. Now certainly the avian flu, if it turns pandemic, will take quite a toll on the U.S. But I think we'll do okay, considering. I'd be more concerned about Africa and places around the world like Africa. With a population already weakened by AIDS and hunger and what-not, Africa will be ripe for Death's harvest. I think it could very well turn out to be the most devasting plague thus far in history.

So are you worried about avian flu? Knowledge is your best weapon. The CDC has some good information to start. I even found a map where you can monitor the spread of this season's flu.