Towards common sense to

Towards common sense

The commotion surrounding vaccinations used for waging political battles
will eventually turn against communities.

The 1918-1919 flu pandemic, nicknamed “the Spanish flu”, was also caused by
the A/H1N1 swine flu virus. Its first wave had a similar course to the
current incidence of disease. In spring 1918, the first wave of the
pandemic hit. Although highly contagious, it did not bring with it a
significant death rate. The second outbreak, which commenced in September
1918, was marked by an incredibly high number of fatalities, whilst the
third took place in 1919.

The course of the current A/H1N1 pandemic without a great number of
fatalities (if one can describe the death of 20,000 people in such a way)
is not conducive to a rational assessment of the preventive vaccination
programme. For many politicians, populism and the desire to win over voters
are the only determinants of their actions. Such politicians prey on the
low awareness on the part of society, which notices only events, and
imagining what could potentially happen is outside their visible realm.
Also, a lack of knowledge about the course of the “Spanish flu” pandemic of
1918-1919 and its death toll, estimated at between 50 million and 100
million people, is not conducive to preventive vaccinations.

If an anti-vaccination attitude is reinforced in social beliefs, then the
future may see the deaths of millions of people as a result of abandoning
general preventive vaccinations. The message to inform people of the risk
carried by an influenza pandemic is an important one. Let us hope that the
situation will be different from the regularity, which often accompanies
capital markets, where world crunches occur within cycles every few decades
or so, and awareness of the threat dies with the generation.

We find ourselves in a place and time where the future of mankind’s
existence in the conflict with mortal viruses is clinched. Let us stop the
feverish bus ride, fed with political populism and short-sighted electoral
perspective. Let us look at the warning signs, which mankind encountered in
his path in the years 1918-1919.

If you believe that it is worthwhile doing something for the common good,
then forward this appeal to others or link to: www.right-to-health.org so
that the information has a chance to spread. We are the ones who can
influence whether common sense prevails.

Sense is sometimes in the minority and loses out to populism, but let us
not give up just yet!

-- 
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-events-eu-REQUEST_at_lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster_at_lists.debian.org
Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20100806121553.6DE9613A5E35@liszt.debian.org