What the viruses don't know, because they are too stupid to read news reports and WHO publications, is that we are using brainpower against them [after millions of years of having nothing but our instinctive immune systems and cultural adaptations as defences].
Soon we will be able to prepare vaccines in a short time and produce umpty million doses. We are developing anti-viral food supplies, with farming techniques which stop problems pretty quickly. For example, mad cow disease [aka bovine spongiform encephalopathy] was identified, the cause determined and stopped pretty quickly. In the bad old days, it would have been trial and error and LOTS of people dead. Smallpox has been viciously dealt with and is extinct in the wild. Sars got nobbled quite effectively [though not as quickly as could have been managed].
But it's a race against time, technology and management, and right now, H5N1 seems to be in a winning position.
So overall, although there are 6 billion opportunties for viruses to conduct trials, those trials are constantly under threat, unlike 300 years ago when people didn't know what was going on and viruses could just act out their plans without interruption. I think we are better off, not worse, though the huge numbers of people and their concentration in huge cities and their proximity via 747 would suggest that we are dramatically more vulnerable than 100 years ago.
So nyah, nyah, nyah to H5N1 and buddies. We've got the drop on them.
Bring 'em on!
Mqurice [fingers crossed] |
