I just read something the other day about bird flu/pandemics.

From Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at New York U School of Medicine: "The fear of bird flu has become particularly virulent. There is a vaccine for this fear: it is called information with perspective."

The media trots out bird flu pandemic possibilities during news lulls; now that the elections are over, we shall probably see more of it. Just keep in mind that in the last five years, there have been 243 deaths from bird flu. Most of them have come from direct contact with diseased poultry, but none of those cases were passed on to another human. It has never been found in any of the Americas. The USGS has tested nearly 200,000 migratory birds and can't seem to substantiate the opinion that their are a major source of H5N1.

Annual deaths worldwide by regular flu is generally in the half-million range.

Be aware, but maintain perspective.

Sue