Bird Flu and Tamiflu

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[Update 13-Oct] Oops, it's called "Tamiflu"

What's your view on the impending (if you take on board the message that's coming out) pandemic that will sweep the world?

From what I've gleaned so far I've learnt:
  • There'll be three waves of the flu
  • The first wave will be the most devastating
  • We (NZ) are protected by being a natural island
  • It will start in the Northern Hemisphere winter (ie, the next few months)
  • Tamivirus is rushing out of chemist shops like it's made of gold
  • The NZ Government has been "planning" for such an event for about a year
  • It may not just affect the young/old/sick as it may be like the 1918 flu that took anyone and everyone
  • No one knows what, when or where ...
  • No one has a clue what the virus will actually look like and therefore there can be no effective cure and/or immunisation

And that last one makes me think that someone somewhere is making a lot of money out Tamiflu.

[Updated 13-Oct]
More stuff I've picked up:

  • This virus has been around since 1997
  • It's real name is A(H5N1)
  • There's good arguments to think it's "media hype" ... but that doesn't negate the potential loss of life
  • Face masks seem to be the most effective way to go (cool as, I'm getting one)
  • Cans of beans, 3 litres of water per person per day and the rest are all good to do anyway!

Some good links if you want to educate yourself (aimed at New Zealanders):

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