But it’s Only the Flu
I hear it all the time. I’ve had flu’s before. I’m still here.
True, but you’ve never had an H5N1 flu before. Only a couple hundred people in the world have. And half of them aren’t here anymore.
The Avian Flu is a new critter on the block. It isn’t like any flu you’ve ever experienced. While we hope it will become less lethal with time, there are no guarantees on that. Should it retain its current CFR (Case Fatality Rate) of 50%, then we are totally screwed.
But virus’s mutate. Particularly influenza virus’s. A mutation that makes this thing go pandemic might cause it to lose some of its lethality. Believe me, public health officials are clinging to this hope.
For reasons not entirely understood, the young seem more apt to die from this flu than those over 40. Theories abound, but the most widely accepted one is the better a person’s immune system, the more likely they are to succumb to this virus. Older people have less active immune systems, and therefore have few complications.
Regardless of a person’s age, anyone who contracts this illness will be very sick, and for quite some time. Many people who might survive this flu may die because there was no one there to care for them. Knowing the proper way to treat the flu is imperative. During a pandemic, 90% of flu victims will not see the inside of a hospital.
I recommend that everyone get a copy of Dr. Woodson’s guide to treating influenza patients. It is available as a free download in PDF format from:
Here you will find sound advice on the home treatment of flu victims. This guide is about six months old, and so the advice on Tamiflu is outdated. Current recommendations are for a much higher dose of Tamiflu than was recommended last year. A treatment course is now between 30 and 40 pills.
Get this. Print it out. Keep it handy.
It could save your life. Or the life of someone you love.
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