Saturday, October 29, 2005

Silence

I've been ill for a while and have really been quite involved with that. But, it's not really the reason I've been quiet though obviously being feverish affects how you're thinking quite a lot. I'd been a bit depressed in a way that isn't usual for me. I don't suffer from depression these days really. I don't suffer from what most people seem to term depression anyway, my mood tends not to become debilitating. The depression I've been experiencing seemed to be a part of the bad cold I had. Possibly due to the fact that I seem to have had a few mild seizures. Coming out of that now with surprizingly few problems which should resolve themselves. Seem to have more interest in parts of my life too.

I guess I've been in kind of mental stun though. First with global warming, then following the emergence of the new strain of bird flu through the information that's been published, and then finding out that if this winter is very cold our government,unlike some other European countries, hasn't prepared for the possibility of this happening which means that the country might have serious problems.

The first two problems made worse because of the lack of global unity and co operation. It's mentioned over and over again that both need a world input. But I've been over that over and over again in the first incarnation of this blog (gone but saved).

Wonders what the point of it all is.

I know as far as the newish strain of bird flu goes that the future is a question mark. Very dangerous as it is at the moment but not transmittable as easily as the yearly flu and assorted colds because it appears to be usually transmitted between birds and people,rather than casually between person and person. But if it does mutate through mixing with a casual flu virus it will then be spread easily. It could be very dangerous indeed. I suppose the hope is that the virus will burn itself out to some degree at least before that happens and become less lethal. But plans should be made for thepossibility that this isn't what will happen.

Apparently there are two vaccines that are being evolved that look as if they might give some protection, that even as they are might give the body some protection against a combined virus,though not the targetted protection of a specific designed flu vaccine. The problem is that the production of flu vaccine is a manual task. Immediately thinks world input.

There are two anti viral drugs that could give some protection, both I believe work in the same way by stopping viruses invading cells in the body. Only one is being considered as a protection I believe even though I read that the other one might be more potent. The reason for this is that it's in an inhaler which might make it harder to administer to some people. Or that's what some politician or other has said. Can't remember who it was.


The WHO (World Health Organization) has increased it's "flu staff" - from 5 to 12 personnel. Surely there should be some central organization that is seriously keeping track of what's happening in all ways on it's own premises. The WHO is already there so you'd think that it would be them. They have 12 people looking into it. That's not the kind of input you'd expect is it.