Julie
06-12-2009, 02:05 PM
World Affairs Brief, June 12, 2009 Commentary and Insights on a Troubled World.
Copyright Joel Skousen. Partial quotations with attribution permitted. Cite source as Joel Skousen's World Affairs Brief ( http://www.worldaffairsbrief.com )
WILL THE SWINE FLU TURN VIRULENT OR
FIZZLE?
With the World Health Organization (WHO) raising its
pandemic alert status from 5 to 6 (the first new pandemic
declared in 41 years), readers may want to know if this is for
real? Here are the key issues on both sides:
On the optimistic side, the H1N1 Swine flu so far has been
relatively mild. Out of 27,700 certified infections, the death
total has only been 140. That?s hardly a fatality rate worth
calling a pandemic, especially when we consider that there
are probably thousands more infections out there that don?t
get reported because people overcome it on their own
without treatment.
One the pessimistic side, there are the credible views of
Henry L. Niman, Ph.D. Founder of Recombinomics, Inc
who makes the case that ?Swine H1N1 is a novel flu virus
which has just entered the human population, so natural
immunity is limited. Moreover, the swine H1N1 has an
avian PB2, which has optimal activity at [a temperature of]
41C, in contrast to seasonal flu, which is most active at 33
C. Thus, the swine H1N1 is expanding in the warm off
season.
?The lack of reporting has created a false impression of the
extent of spread. Similarly, the mild nature of most
infections has blunted the impact of the fatal infections of
patients between the ages of 20-55. Normally, 90% of flu
infections are in patients 65 or older. The swine flu
however targets younger patients, and most deaths are in
this younger age group.
?Thus far, the 2009 pandemic parallels the 1918 pandemic,
which was a swine H1N1 that had moved into a human
population in the spring of 1918, leading to mild cases.
However, the virus turned lethal in the fall, after
adapting to its human hosts, with devastating
consequences, including the deaths of 20-50 million people,
which were largely in the 25-44 age group.?
Therefore, the key thing to watch for is for an increase in
lethality later on this year. It could mean that the virus is
mutating into a more deadly form, just as it did in the great
flu epidemic of 1818. In either case, we have to be vigilant
to watch for government efforts to enforce a mandatory
vaccine regime upon everyone. The laws are already in
place as pointed out by Stephen Lendman of Global
Research.
?At least two US federal laws should concern all Americans
and suggest what may be coming - mandatory vaccinations
for hyped, non-existent threats, like H1N1 (Swine Flu).
Vaccines and drugs like Tamiflu endanger human health but
are hugely profitable to drug company manufacturers. The
Project BioShield Act of 2004 (S. 15) became law on July
21, 2004 [and gives the FDA] the power to approve
inadequately tested, potentially dangerous vaccines and
other drugs if ever the Secretaries of Health and Human
Services (HHS) or Defense (DOD) declare a national
emergency, whether or not one exists and regardless of
whether treatments available are safe and effective.
?The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness
(PREP) Act slipped under the radar when George Bush
signed it into law as part of the 2006 Defense
Appropriations Act (HR 2863). It lets the HHS Secretary
declare any disease an epidemic or national emergency
requiring mandatory vaccinations. Nothing in the Act lists
criteria that warrant a threat. Also potential penalties aren't
specified for those who balk, but very likely they'd include
quarantine and possible fines.? [END]
Copyright Joel Skousen. Partial quotations with attribution permitted. Cite source as Joel Skousen's World Affairs Brief ( http://www.worldaffairsbrief.com )
WILL THE SWINE FLU TURN VIRULENT OR
FIZZLE?
With the World Health Organization (WHO) raising its
pandemic alert status from 5 to 6 (the first new pandemic
declared in 41 years), readers may want to know if this is for
real? Here are the key issues on both sides:
On the optimistic side, the H1N1 Swine flu so far has been
relatively mild. Out of 27,700 certified infections, the death
total has only been 140. That?s hardly a fatality rate worth
calling a pandemic, especially when we consider that there
are probably thousands more infections out there that don?t
get reported because people overcome it on their own
without treatment.
One the pessimistic side, there are the credible views of
Henry L. Niman, Ph.D. Founder of Recombinomics, Inc
who makes the case that ?Swine H1N1 is a novel flu virus
which has just entered the human population, so natural
immunity is limited. Moreover, the swine H1N1 has an
avian PB2, which has optimal activity at [a temperature of]
41C, in contrast to seasonal flu, which is most active at 33
C. Thus, the swine H1N1 is expanding in the warm off
season.
?The lack of reporting has created a false impression of the
extent of spread. Similarly, the mild nature of most
infections has blunted the impact of the fatal infections of
patients between the ages of 20-55. Normally, 90% of flu
infections are in patients 65 or older. The swine flu
however targets younger patients, and most deaths are in
this younger age group.
?Thus far, the 2009 pandemic parallels the 1918 pandemic,
which was a swine H1N1 that had moved into a human
population in the spring of 1918, leading to mild cases.
However, the virus turned lethal in the fall, after
adapting to its human hosts, with devastating
consequences, including the deaths of 20-50 million people,
which were largely in the 25-44 age group.?
Therefore, the key thing to watch for is for an increase in
lethality later on this year. It could mean that the virus is
mutating into a more deadly form, just as it did in the great
flu epidemic of 1818. In either case, we have to be vigilant
to watch for government efforts to enforce a mandatory
vaccine regime upon everyone. The laws are already in
place as pointed out by Stephen Lendman of Global
Research.
?At least two US federal laws should concern all Americans
and suggest what may be coming - mandatory vaccinations
for hyped, non-existent threats, like H1N1 (Swine Flu).
Vaccines and drugs like Tamiflu endanger human health but
are hugely profitable to drug company manufacturers. The
Project BioShield Act of 2004 (S. 15) became law on July
21, 2004 [and gives the FDA] the power to approve
inadequately tested, potentially dangerous vaccines and
other drugs if ever the Secretaries of Health and Human
Services (HHS) or Defense (DOD) declare a national
emergency, whether or not one exists and regardless of
whether treatments available are safe and effective.
?The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness
(PREP) Act slipped under the radar when George Bush
signed it into law as part of the 2006 Defense
Appropriations Act (HR 2863). It lets the HHS Secretary
declare any disease an epidemic or national emergency
requiring mandatory vaccinations. Nothing in the Act lists
criteria that warrant a threat. Also potential penalties aren't
specified for those who balk, but very likely they'd include
quarantine and possible fines.? [END]