Just caught the tail end of Oprah’s piece on the Bird flu, not that I am a fan of daytime TV but running a website like this tends to make you listen for the little odd words like bird flu or avian influenza. Between the CDC coming out and saying it isn’t all media hype and some of the Virologists saying the same, I am starting to think maybe they know something we don’t.

Having said that, I would at least prepare as if there was going to be an outbreak of the bird flu, it’s better to have something you do not need then to need something you do not have, as the old saying goes. Bottled water and some canned food stored away. My guess is that some people have been stockpiling that kind of stuff since the y2k scare.

From what I have been hearing they are suggesting a 6 week supply of food(dry, canned etc), and water. You can always drink the water and eat the food if nothing happens, it’s not like you are throwing the money away on something you can’t use.

I’ve been reading about the avian flu since somewhere in 1997.  It scared the bejezuz out of me even then.

I’m not a big fan of daytime tv either, but when I heard the CDC was going to be represented and the discussion was going to be on Avian Flu, I tuned in.  There was some very good information there; such as municipalities only may carry a couple of weeks of water treatment chemicals.  If the infrastructure breaks down and this fellow clearly stated it would, we needed to carry five to six weeks worth of food and water.  I’m not sure people understand how much that is if one includes potable drinking water and sanitation. 

I live in NYC and we’re very vulnerable here.  Yet, to stockpile and store six weeks of food and water just isn’t feasible for apartment dwellers.  A couple or three weeks sure, but not six weeks worth. 

For the record, having worked in the international community, the moment human to human transfer is reported anywhere in the world, I know it’s already here.  Anyone thinking otherwise is really mistaken. 

Once that happens, I’ll be right out there stockpiling.  I just hope it isn’t too late.