This I Know, Because CNN Tells Me So!
My Beef This Week
I just watched on CNN last night about how it is “certain” that the avian flu would be in the US in a year. I have news for these “news reporters.” It is almost certainly already here. Scary? No. Life? Yes. It is the same as Mad Cow Disease. The media and current surveillance programs tell us that there is no CJD here in the US. However, if you talk to cow farmers that have been farming for over 50 years, they will tell you the “wasting” disease has been around since they began farming. Farmers know that if they get a cow like that, they put the cow down and burn the carcass to prevent spread. Surveillance is only as good as people are truthful. Farmers aren’t going to be truthful about having to put every cow in their farm down because one comes up sick, it would destroy their livelihood. I’m not saying this is right, I’m just saying that’s how it is. The same principle applies to avian flu. You can’t tell me that Tyson is going to slaughter thousands of chickens when they determine one has the avian flu. They are going to do their own surveillance and not share that with the government surveillance. And as much as people would like to believe out government surveillance is great, it is barely more than terrible. The only reason there are “more” cases of the avian flu in Thailand is because people are testing more. There is better surveillance evolving there. It is still terrible, just not as bad as here in the US. And the 19 people that have been diagnosed with the avian flu thus far is just that…19. And these infections are not transmissible except in extreme contact cases. Are these the first 19? No. Are these the first 100? Absolutely not. This happens ALL THE TIME in evolution, in nature. This happens daily and evolution rejects the consequence. Will avian flu evolve into the next “Outbreak” movie? Doubtful. Actually, me, you, and your neighbor have a better chance at winning the lottery…all independently, at the same time. This has been happening since avian flu first hit chickens and chickens started cohabitating with man. What the hell are we so worried about it now? Because CNN tells us so.
So for now, quit worrying so much. Get yourself a bucket of fried chicken. Me? I’m going to buy a lottery ticket.
I just watched on CNN last night about how it is “certain” that the avian flu would be in the US in a year. I have news for these “news reporters.” It is almost certainly already here. Scary? No. Life? Yes. It is the same as Mad Cow Disease. The media and current surveillance programs tell us that there is no CJD here in the US. However, if you talk to cow farmers that have been farming for over 50 years, they will tell you the “wasting” disease has been around since they began farming. Farmers know that if they get a cow like that, they put the cow down and burn the carcass to prevent spread. Surveillance is only as good as people are truthful. Farmers aren’t going to be truthful about having to put every cow in their farm down because one comes up sick, it would destroy their livelihood. I’m not saying this is right, I’m just saying that’s how it is. The same principle applies to avian flu. You can’t tell me that Tyson is going to slaughter thousands of chickens when they determine one has the avian flu. They are going to do their own surveillance and not share that with the government surveillance. And as much as people would like to believe out government surveillance is great, it is barely more than terrible. The only reason there are “more” cases of the avian flu in Thailand is because people are testing more. There is better surveillance evolving there. It is still terrible, just not as bad as here in the US. And the 19 people that have been diagnosed with the avian flu thus far is just that…19. And these infections are not transmissible except in extreme contact cases. Are these the first 19? No. Are these the first 100? Absolutely not. This happens ALL THE TIME in evolution, in nature. This happens daily and evolution rejects the consequence. Will avian flu evolve into the next “Outbreak” movie? Doubtful. Actually, me, you, and your neighbor have a better chance at winning the lottery…all independently, at the same time. This has been happening since avian flu first hit chickens and chickens started cohabitating with man. What the hell are we so worried about it now? Because CNN tells us so.
So for now, quit worrying so much. Get yourself a bucket of fried chicken. Me? I’m going to buy a lottery ticket.
posted by DrKNOW at 9:09 PM
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