Wash Your Hands!
I have a great imagination, and this is part of what fuels me as a writer. What else fuels me is my concern for the world, for the direction it’s going in. You put the two of those together, and there’s a good chance for my inner conspiracy theorist to emerge, thrusting me up on a soapbox to yell about the sky falling or something.
What concerns me today, is not caused by imagination, nor is it a conspiracy theory, but some scary facts.
A conference was held this week in Lowell, MA to discuss the very real possibility of an avian flu pandemic. So far this virus is not spreading human to human, but medical experts state that there is likelihood that it could do just that. The CDC goes into detail here.
Now, I’ve never received a flu shot; never saw the need. I’m still not crazy about the idea; it seems sort of, strange, to me. Yet for the last two years, in late winter/early spring – I’ve become sick with something that took hold, and didn’t let go for a long, long time. Its not like I was sick for months, more like 2 or 3 weeks, but no one needs that aggravation.
The article that I referenced above (Lowell Sun, December 7, 2005) described how the state needs to prepare — logistically speaking – in the event that this virus did hit Massachusetts. As a matter of fact, this article began with statements from a local Health Department director, voicing his concerns about how to deal with the deceased. As in storage, as in filled to capacity morgues.
If this sounds too much like a “Movie of the Week”, just remember that a massive weather system that could demolish a major US city sort of sounded like a piece of fiction as well.
Wash your hands. Please.
First posted on "A Dracut Weblog"
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
flu shots. icky.
though i suppose that the flu is ickier.
2 - alpha
Good thought not just for avian flu and a pandemic but for day to day flu and cold and general safety.
We Americans are too sure of our safety and food supplies and, like that wealther system that ate New Orleans; we may one day regret the time we didn't wash.
How many times have you seen people use public toilets and leave without? Too many. Once on a cruise ship the guy had his white jacket and chef's hat on. Scary.
Then there is disinfecting fruits and vegetables -- especially those pretty ones from the third world.
There are dangers in the world and many are as small as a virus; some as big as a fat chef.
3 - Mary K. Williams
The world is getting scary Alpha - thanks for your thoughts.
4 - Victor Plenty
Cruise ships are always falling prey to pestilence of various kinds, anyway. It's no surprise if they can't get their chefs to follow basic health code practices. I can't believe anyone is still willing to set foot on one of those things, especially after the world played unwilling witness to the shambling horror of Speed 2: Cruise Control.
5 - Mary K. Williams
Hi Victor -
I have not seen Speed 2 - are you saying I didn't miss much? : )
I hope they tight up sanitary regs on cruise ships, because I certainly want to go on another one before I get too old.
6 - Christopher Rose
Comment #2 above has been chosen as Comment of the Day for Sunday 11th December 2005. Congratulations.
7 - adhocreporter
Here is a short video that I send to people who dont wash their hands. washing your hands video
8 - Dave Nalle
You do realize that there are two possible sources of transmission of bacteria or germs in that hand washing video. The towell is clearly being used by multiple users who may be touching it before they clean their hands, as well as using it to touch the contaminated knobs and then leaving it as clean for the next user. And the soap is in an open container for multiple users, and could be a repository for germs and bacteria. You should be using disposable paper towels and liquid antiseptic/antibacterial soap in a gravity-fed dispenser.
Dave
9 - Mary K. Williams
I noticed that too, things were going pretty good up till he grabbed that towell.