I was in 8th Grade in 1976, and I'll never forget that vaccine dispenser that looked like a gun from a Star Trek episode . . .

There are some theories about flu killing younger victims. They have stronger immune systems and the flu triggers a deadly overreaction.

Memo to self: rent "Resident Evil" and sequels.

GENEVA, May 22 (Reuters) - The world must be ready for H1N1 swine flu to become more severe and kill more people, World Health Organization chief Dr. Margaret Chan said on Friday.

A genetic analysis of the new virus showed it must have been circulating undetected for some time, in pigs or perhaps in other animals.

The WHO is poised to declare a full pandemic of the virus, which has infected more than 11,000 people in 42 countries and killed 86. And U.S. health officials released $1 billion for companies to get started on a vaccine in case it is needed.

The virus must be closely monitored in the southern hemisphere, as it could mix with ordinary seasonal influenza and change in unpredictable ways, Chan told the WHO annual congress in Geneva.

18. Author: burgess_b Date: 05/23/2009 10:21 AM Reply

^and, i repeat, they might not want to completely open pandoras box. more than half of the H5N1 (avian flu) cases ended in fatalities.

sure, a test run of a designer flu in the dead of winter would probably get more ideal results...but maybe Hollywood and movies like Resident Evil and 28 Days Later have perhaps been cause for pause for the higher ups.

Would hate to end the world during a test run.

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Now, I'm not sure about what happened in Japan, but a large chunk of those avian flu cases that I saw reported came from China. Considering that the vast percentage of mainland Chinese don't have running water and still wipe their butts with their hands, the killing potential for avian flu seems a little suspect.

Of course, the avian flu might be perfect cover for the Chinese to thin the ranks for those who don't have their head right politically.