Flubies : Behind Closed Doors
#222
For the past 5 days I’ve been comfortably ensconced amongst a small group of flubies who gathered over the Thanksgiving holiday on the South West Gulf Coast of Florida. Interspersed between sumptuous meals, idyllic days sitting around the pool, a 3 hour boat tour of the intercoastal waterway, and philosophical discussions about everything under the sun, we talked of all things, about avian flu.
The participants of this little gathering were not famous scientists, although given the technical level of the conversations; it would have been hard to tell. No, these were internet flubies, laypeople who have devoted countless hours to tracking and analyzing the H5N1 pandemic threat.
I can’t think of when I’ve had a more enjoyable and knowledgeable group of people to hang out with. While opinions varied on how close we are to the next pandemic, and its likely impact, no one dismissed the threat.
I am constantly amazed at the depth of knowledge that my fellow flubies exhibit, and their commitment to following this subject. There was no panic, no irrational fear, and no fear mongering to be found among the participants. Just a grim acceptance that should a pandemic come, things will change abruptly, and that it will take a long and difficult recovery.
While I’ll refrain from citing specifics, I can tell you that even among the hard-core flubies, no one seemed 100% certain the current H5N1 bird flu would produce the next pandemic. Estimates ranged from 50% to 80% that the required mutations would occur in the next couple of years.
Of course, we all accept that a pandemic will come . . . eventually.
The general sense is that we are getting closer, however, and none of us would be surprised when, and if, this pathogen goes pandemic.
We talked the science of influenza; antigenic shift vs. reassortment vs. recombination. We discussed strategies for dealing with infected family members, friends, and neighbors. What meds we might try, what supplements we would use, and how we would rehydrate flu victims.
And we talked incessantly about how to help our neighbors and our communities through a pandemic.
There is a lesson here, one that our leaders should heed.
This small group of people, literally a cross section of America, was able to discuss rationally the realities of a pandemic; the likelihood of hospitals being overrun, horrific death tolls, the potential disruptions in utilities, and an implosion of the supply chain. Yet no one was distraught, and no one was over the top.
Our little group showed resolve. Pure and simple.
We have an advantage. We have a full appreciation of what a pandemic could bring, and we have used the past few months to adjust to that. We’ve made preparations for our families. And we’ve accepted that should a pandemic come, we will all have to step up and face it.
We are the lucky ones. The ones who recognized the threat months, and in some cases, years ago. We won’t be blindsided, nor will we be caught unprepared.
It hasn’t been easy. The information is out there, but you have to dig for it. It is under the radar for most Americans, and for that matter, most of the peoples of the world. But we all thank our lucky stars that we do know what may be coming.
The rest of the world needs time. Time to adequately prepare, physically and mentally, for a pandemic. And our leaders need to get the message out before their citizens are caught unaware.
We’ve proven that ordinary people, from all walks of life and economic strata’s can understand and deal with the harsh realities of a pandemic. That knowledge is indeed power.
Our leaders, here, and around the world, need to vigorously work at preparing their citizens for what a pandemic would bring. They need to work harder at getting the word out, even at the risk of worrying the public.
It may not be easy. It will undoubtedly inspire awkward questions, with no easy answers. But it will save lives.
And not only do citizens deserve to know what may be coming.
They can handle it.
