The
Cold & Flu Terrorists Attacks
One Billion U.S. Citizens A Year
by
Cliff McKenzie, Editor
GROUND
ZERO PLUS 1122 DAYS,--New York, NY, Wednesday,
October 8, 2004--Americans
have more than 1 billion colds a year, so don't feel
bad when you're sniffling and coughing.
I always think of the Cold Terrorist and Flu
Terrorist when I am attacked by either one. Their job is to
reduce me to a weak lump of helpless human pulp, and, that's
where I end up.
For the last couple of days I've been stuck
to my bed, wallowing in the quagmire of coughs and wheezes,
a sorrowful sense of malise, a pounding head ache, and no desire
to lift my fingers to type.
I did go to the doctor.
|
The Flu
& Cold Terrorists are attacking me |
Not much help there, for battling out a cold
is a personal rather than medical bout. Get rest, drink lots
of liquids, etc.
But I was sure I had the flu also, conspiring
with the cold, a kind of double whammy. I would prefer to have
both at once and get them over. My doctor gave me a flu shot
on Monday.
Out of interest, I went to Google to find out
about flu and cold statistics. It seems that the cost to the
nation by flue and pneumonia in 1995 was $22.9 billion.
About 20,000 people die each year from the
flu, according to the Center for Disease Control and 35-50 million
people will be infected this year, as they are each year.
Only there's a bit of a problem this year.
It seem the flu vaccine is short. Only half of what normally
is produced made it here in time from England.
|
The
flu vaccine supply was contaminated by a Terrorist bacteria
that ruined much of the supply |
On the heels of the flu is the Beast of Cold
Virus. Estimates are that U.S. citizens suffer about 1 billion
of them a year. Children catch between 6-8 colds a year, and
families with school children can peak as high as 12 a year.
Adults average 2-4 colds a year...so I feel
pretty good. It's been a year since I've had a cold, but, I
ended up in the hospital last time. So I need to be careful.
Tracking down the cold virus is like finding
Osama bin Laden. There are more than 200 different types of
virus that cause a cold.
So, I'm coughing and sniffing and starting
to feel a little better. I'm able to type a story and think
about cold and flu bugs...and to realize that I need a shower...
Be Vigilant...wash you hands...wash your hands...wash
your hands...
|
Be Vigilant!
Wash Your Hands! |
Influenza: from the French word, influentia, which refers to the belief that
epidemics were caused by the influence of the stars.
Influenza or flu is an acute respiratory infection capable
of sweeping through entire communities. Flu season begins
in November or December and may last until April or May.
Although the word "flu" is often applied to
almost anything that makes us feel unwell, influenza should
not be mistaken for the common cold or other airborne
viruses. The flu differs significantly from the common
cold in both the rapid onset of the illness and in the
potentially life-threatening complications that can develop,
especially in the elderly. Although most people recover
within a week, serious problems can occur in newborn babies,
people with certain chronic illnesses, and the elderly.
|
TerrrTerrorist
Terminology |
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