[beowulf]

Originally Posted by Dupainetdesjeux

Scientists see this flu strain as relatively mild: http://www.latimes.com/features/heal...,3606923.story

People cannot seem to get their heads around that. They here pandemic and think it is the end of the world without knowing what the word really means.

From the public health agency of Canada

Q19. Is this the next influenza pandemic?

It is too soon to know. Pandemic influenza is defined as a new influenza virus that spreads easily between humans and affects a wide geographic area. In this case, more investigation and information is needed to determine how easily the virus spreads. This investigation is ongoing.

Q20. Are all pandemics severe?

No. An influenza pandemic may be mild or severe. An influenza pandemic means the virus is spread easily between humans, and affects a wide geographic area. A pandemic influenza does not necessarily cause more severe illness.

Also it is false to say we are not ready to combat a pandemic as both the WHO and Canadian officials have gone on record to say that we are more ready then any time in history and have learned from SARS and Avian Fly outbreak.