You say “60 percent of the population is under 30 years old” On one hand that scares me for the average person was born after 1970. On the other hand, it means they feel they can do anything.

My 24 year old nice is scared of H5N1 and HIV. She does not want me to talk about it for “I get enough of it at college.” My response was “if you feel you can do something about global warming, know that you can do something about H5N1 and HIV. Fear is a motivator, but knowledge and projects are empowering. Showing folks how to do things makes them feel that they can in stead of feeling they can not.

On the Flu wiki many participants are female. The knee jerk reaction is “of course, because they have time to blog” but look at the whole Read Mom’s project with hand outs. Just like in Viet Nam, the UK, the USA there are a lot of presentations and research being done by people on both sides of gender fence. A battle where we are all on the front lines and the same side.

H5N1 does not know gender nor sexual orientation – it just prefers the young under 25. (Source:http://www.wpro.who.int/NR/rdonlyres/FD4AC2FD-B7C8-4A13-A32C-6CF328A0C036/0/S4_1113.jpg)

Now people are monitoring H5N1 coming to Alaska (Source:http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05020801/H5N1_Japan_Alaska.html)

In both Viet Nam and USA, education for prevention may be the best defense. As Benjamin Franklin said “The only thing more expensive than an education is ignorance.”

If you can read this then you had to use a computer and the internet. That proves you are more than capable of preparing yourself for the pandemic. Start today.

Kobie

It is encouraging to see you travel to H5N1 hotspots as well as becoming aware of the food crisis developing around the world.

questions for you:

Did you take Tamiflu or other antivirals before, during after your trip?

When at the H5N1 hotspots, how did you protect yourself?
If you used PPE what did you use?

Does the growing food shortage alarm you because:
it would make it harder for people to prepare for a 3 month SIP, or
during a pandemic, the food JIT system would collapse that much sooner?
Or is it so bad that people are beginning to starve and fight over food?

I like your post. These are good questions.

To add to your question about the food shortage – people will not be 100% efficient. Their three month supply may include stuff they do not need. They may miss things the do need. I’m not just talking can openers but baking powder. Hence it is not three months supply of food but four or more that people will try and get. Unless people are eased into the news with instructions they will do the best they can as fast as possible, in my opinion.

Unlike India and Viet Nam who live close to the earth, most developed countries are so far removed from food a garden is all they can muster. Well there is a growing trend to raise chickens in the city. No rosters but hens. Even if so, animals need feed.

As Secretary Leavitt wrote, it is good to use kids as educators to speak to kids and adults. There are things kids learn from kids that they do take from adults. Sometimes parents will listen to a kid do a presentation.

If Viet Nam can slow or stop HIV than bird flu is not that different. HIV, like H5N1, is a slowly spreading virus for which we have no vaccine nor medical defense only NPIs of social distancing (abstinence for HIV), PPE (French envelope) and limiting the number of social contacts (partners).

Sigh, I hope talking about H5N1 does is not as hard as HIV. Ignorance kills.

Regards and best wishes,
Kobie

“You are given the chance to take part in a great adventure” – fortune cookie

Saw you on C-span Wednesday, being “interrogated” by the committee. Stick to your guns. You’re absolutely right. Thanks for having the courage to defend the law.

Best of luck

Phil