Influenza, or Flu, which is caused by a virus, is a very common disease in the United States as well as elsewhere in the world. Influenza is a seasonal disease due to the fact that cold weather reduces the ability of the respiratory system to fight off the virus, and the fact that cold weather favors virus survival while hot weather tends to kill the flu bug before it can find a new victim to infect. The seasonal pattern of flu is evident from this chart (click to view) Note that flu accounts for nearly 10% of all deaths during the flu season. That's a lot, in fact, on average, 100 people in the United States die from influenza-related disease every single day.
Now, let's put it into perspective.
The Swine Flu virus that has the news folks all in an uproar has "killed at least 20 people in Mexico and sickened at least eight people in the U.S., and the CDC expects more U.S. cases as the hunt for swine flu intensifies." The Swine Flu virus belongs to the A:H1N1 group which accounts for more than one-third of the usual suspects in our yearly seasonal flu epidemic. It really doesnt appear to be anything particular new. Aww, shucks. and dern.
And the flu season is almost over, and in Texas, where this deadly holocaust of plague is said to be occurring, the temperatures are reaching their normal seasonal 90's. Unlucky weather for Mr. Flu Bug.
But the headlines are bound to get more and more sensational as the lust for fear-mongering builds.
"CDC: Dirty hands spread dangerous diseases like swine flu"!!! The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday it was too late to contain the swine flu outbreak in the United States!!! Oh noes!!! Too late!!! What are we going to do???
Folks.
Stop the presses. Stop everything.
Stop and take a deep breath. Did you cough? I didnt think so. You are not dying. Al Gore is not declaring World Soap Day for the washing of hands for the good of the earth or any such thing. And we dont need to panic or vote Trillions for the Bailout of the Swine Flu victims or any such thing. Stop and realize that you are being manipulated while your masters take down your economy in a controlled demolition floor by floor by floor and this swine flu scare is the latest load of thermite laid in to mess up your mind.
It looks like I am not the only one wise to this ruse. Angusthermopylae notes over at Motley Fool the likely reactionary knee-jerk response:
...Congress debating (and ordering) the stockpiling of vaccines.. whoever can make this vaccine will be rich...
Other reactionary events would be attempting to quarantine large areas (usually too late), expanding powers for health and law enforcement (viruses live in dread of a man with a gun, you know), and state and municipal officials each coming up with their own "plans of action"...ignoring that people cross their borders as a matter of fact.
Bad time to be a trucker, bad time to be in mass transportation (subways, buses, planes...) Actually, a bad time to be in any job where you deal with lots of strangers on a regular basis.
As for the Machiavellian moves...*sigh* ...too many to count. It's livestock-related, so expect more push for government oversight of farms. Big industrial farms will welcome this, because they have big lobbies to get exemptions.
Expanded powers for the CDC and health officials...meaning a bigger budget. If people get too panicked, expect some form of government mandates for production of food, gas, materials, etc. Retail businesses and banks will probably blame the "economic impact of the flu" on any earnings shortfalls (even if they just screwed up their business), and thus ask for taxpayer aid....
Angus is right. We've seen this before. The sad sad sad sad thing, is that the American people are likely to buy it.
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Ron Paul on Swine Flu