What do you say to people who argue that

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   1) West Nile Virus was supposed to be such a big deal and     I haven't heard hardly anything about it or,

2) We heard so much about how SARS was going to be such      an epidemic and it was just in a few localized areas

3) Remember "Swine Flu?" 

4) Remember Ebola?

Sometimes when I'm debating this with my husband, I wish that I could just type all of his objections onto this forum and have you all fire off your knowledge! - Laura   

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lauraon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: February 07 2006 Status: Offline Points: 22	Post Options Post Reply Quote lauraon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: What do you say to people who argue that Posted: February 16 2006 at 10:18pm
	1) West Nile Virus was supposed to be such a big deal and I haven't heard hardly anything about it or, 2) We heard so much about how SARS was going to be such an epidemic and it was just in a few localized areas 3) Remember "Swine Flu?" 4) Remember Ebola? Sometimes when I'm debating this with my husband, I wish that I could just type all of his objections onto this forum and have you all fire off your knowledge! - Laura

FlulessinDC Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: February 06 2006 Status: Offline Points: 40	Post Options Post Reply Quote FlulessinDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 16 2006 at 11:37pm
	Laura, The only thing we can be "certain" of is that there is a very real "threat" posed by avian flu. West Nile virus is endemic (in some areas) and dangerous - but poses only a moderate risk with good preventative vector control (like controlling the mosquito population) SARS is a different virus (coronavirus) and is much harder to catch than influenza (on the other hand, we all know someone who has caught the flu - flu is easy). And they still say that it was some herculean effort and cooperation that helped to stop the SARS epidemic. Swine Flu was scary - and we got lucky and it never evolved into anything like the Hong Kong Flu, the Asian Flu, or (thank God) the Spanish Flu. Ebola is still one of the most terrifying diseases that can happen to a human - don't travel in sub-Saharan Africa without finding out much more about it. But long story short, and the important things for your husband to know - 1) H5N1 is killing over 1/2 the people who catch it - period. 2) No one seems to know how to stop it or what the authorities will do (including the authorities themselves) when and if a pandemic happens 3) One has only to look around at a basically disconnected and completely interdependent society and realize that when TSHTF, we are ALL going to go through hard times. I truly wish you luck in your debates with your husband. But however those debates end up - take a look around here on the forum. There are plenty of folks who are finding ways to increase their own awareness and prepare where they can - even without their spouse's help or approval.
	No plan of battle ever survives contact with the enemy. Heinz Guderian Plans are nothing; planning is everything. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 16 2006 at 11:50pm
	http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI D=/ 20060216/NEWS01/602160329/1006/NEWS05

Lee2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: February 17 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lee2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 17 2006 at 11:49am
	Listen I remember reading a magazine in a doctor's office around 1991 that talked about the coming pandemic - and they predicted then that it would be a bird flu! If this much has come true - bird flu is pretty wide spread and infecting humans- then why can't it mutate to something H2H and lethal? I would remind people (gently) that "they" said a killer tsunami could never wipe out 100's of 1,000's today, and Mt. St. Helen's was an extinct volcano, and New Orleans will never be wiped out by a hurricane - until these things happened no one believed it!

mom 4 six Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: February 05 2006 Status: Offline Points: 24	Post Options Post Reply Quote mom 4 six Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 19 2006 at 7:05am
	find a good graph of the mortality rate and age breakdown, if the person arguing with you has children that might be enough to make them realize the seriousness of the situation. a list of countries that it has gotten the virus in the last month would be good, and at least give them a copy of the federal guide for pandemic preparedness for families and maybe a state guide as well. try to get them to read one of the newsgathering web sites like newsnow (make sure they click on hot topics/ bird flu) for just three days and then talk to them again. if they read tell them to get the book The Great Influenza, if they watch tv mention upcoming shows to them. tailoring your discussions to things that "trip their trigger" may make them look at how it will affect them. I actually got one co-worker interested because i told her i expected the price on n95 masks to go up- and that she should get hers early to get the best price. she is a major bargain hunter and that pushed her to act. i hope this helps you- don't give up- i have been the "goofy" one for a while at work, but in the last week some of the biggest non-believers have asked some of the most serious questions.
	Mom